What are the 12 Public Universities in Florida? This is the question that will be answered in this article including the ranking list of these 12 public universities in Florida.
Bear in mind that the information in this article was researched and compiled by Staying Informed Group from official platforms like the official website of the universities in this article and educationally recognised platforms like the USnews, Niche, Wikipedia and the rest.
The aforementioned official platforms and the official websites of each university have the right to update the information about these universities without prior notice to Stay Informed Group that is why we have included the official websites of each school so that you can visit the school and see the updated information about a specific school.
With that being said, it is advisable that you grab a bottle of drink and stay glued to this article as you’re about to discover the list of the 12 public universities in Florida and their ranking.
You also find out how many universities are in Florida in total which includes the public and private universities and finally you will get to know the acceptance rate of each university as we have made mentions of the acceptance rate of each Florida public university herein.
What are Public Universities?
Before we answer the question: What are the 12 Public Universities in Florida? Let discuss a little what public universities are.
The difference between a private and a public University is the fact that public universities are funded publicly in the sense that the funds used to maintain these universities come from state taxpayers.
They receive significant funds from a national or subnational government which ultimately makes the tuition fees in public universities relatively cheap.
If you are considering a public University then you are perhaps going to enjoy less tuition fees and larger class sizes, but in universities like this you have fewer academic options and you may spend a long time to graduate as opposed to private universities where you more academic opportunity, and the flexibility to choose from an array of academic programs.
Also Read: Northwestern Engineering Ranking, Acceptance Rate, and Tuition Fees
How many universities in Florida?
Bear in mind that this article talks about the 12 public universities in the state of Florida. But there are about 171 universities in Florida which include public and private universities.
These universities have all received accreditation from bodies responsible for accreditation in the United States of America.
Therefore, you can browse this list of 171 universities in Florida so that you will be able to choose any of the schools that suits your academic goals and start your academic journey.
But if you are interested in only public schools then this article will provide you with the list of all the 12 public universities in Florida that you can choose from.
Remember that these public schools have a good academic record and offer quality degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level of studies.
One of the benefits of attending a public university is the fact that you will enjoy less tuition fees and access to public funds and other academic scholarships
Also Read: What Are The 12 Ivy League Schools and Their Ranking?
What are the 12 Public Universities in Florida
The least you’re about to see contains only the 12 public universities in Florida and not including the colleges and other schools and institutions.
#1. Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is a long-established public black university located in Tallahassee, Florida. It was founded in 1887 and is located on the highest geographical hill in Tallahassee.
Admission to Florida A&M University is selective, with an acceptance rate of 36%. Half of the applicants admitted to Florida A&M University have SAT scores between 1030 and 1160, or ACT scores between 19 and 23. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 11th and 19th positions respectively.
#2. Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University is a public research university with its main campus located in Boca Raton, Florida, and other reputable satellite campuses in Dania Beach, David, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter and Fort Pierce.
Admission to Florida Atlantic University is selective, with an acceptance rate of 63%. Half of the applicants admitted to Florida Atlantic University have SAT scores between 1080 and 1240, or ACT scores between 22 and 26. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 6th and 7th positions respectively.
#3. Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University is a public university located in the city of Fort Myers, Florida. It is part of the Florida State University system and is its second-youngest member of the system.
The acceptance rate of Florida Gulf Coast University is selective, with an acceptance rate of 67%. Half of the applicants admitted to FGCU have SAT scores between 1060 and 1210, or ACT scores between 21 and 25. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 9th and 15th positions respectively.
#4. Florida International University
Florida International University is a public research university with its main campus located in Florida University Park. It is part of the Florida State University system and is designated as “Emerging Excellence.”
Florida International University has an acceptance rate that is selective in nature, with an acceptance rate of 58%. Half of the applicants admitted by FIU have SAT scores between 1110 and 1280, or ACT scores between 23 and 28. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 5th positions in both rankings.
#5. Florida Polytechnic University
Florida PolytechnicUniversity is a public university located in the city of Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 2012, it is an independent university and the latest of 12 academic institutions in the Florida State University system. It is the only public polytechnic university in the state and focuses only on STEM education.
The admission rate of Florida Poly University is selective, with an acceptance rate of 50%. The average SAT score of students entering Florida Poly is between 1200 and 1360, or the average ACT score is between 27-31. The deadline for applications for regular admissions at Florida Polytechnic University is April 1.
#6. Florida State University
Florida State University is a public research university located in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the Florida State University system. It was founded in 1851 and is located in Florida’s oldest continuous higher education institution.
Florida State University has a selective acceptance rate, with an acceptance rate of 36%. Half of the applicants admitted to Florida State University have SAT scores between 1200 and 1340, or ACT scores between 26 and 30. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 3rd positions in both rankings.
#7. New College of Florida
The New College of Florida is a public liberal arts honours college located in Sarasota, Florida. It was established as a private school, it took several years to merge into the University of South Florida, and became an autonomous college in 2001, which is the 11th independent school in the Florida State University system.
Florida New College has a selective acceptance rate, with an acceptance rate of 73% and an early acceptance rate of 86.1%. Half of the applicants admitted to the Florida New College have SAT scores between 1180 and 1360, or ACT scores between 25 and 31. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 12th and 39th positions respectively.
#8. University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida is a public research university located in the unregistered Orange County of Florida. It is part of the Florida State University system. It has nearly 72,000 students and currently has the largest student body in the United States.
The University of Central Florida has a very picky acceptance rate, with an acceptance rate of 44%. Half of the applicants admitted by UCF have SAT scores between 1170 and 1340, or ACT scores between 25 and 30. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 4th in both rankings.
#9. University of Florida
The University of Florida is a public research university located in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the Florida State University system, with a history dating back to 1853, and has been operating continuously on its Gainesville campus since September 1906.
The University of Florida has a very selective acceptance rate, with an acceptance rate of 37%. Half of the applicants admitted to the University of Florida have SAT scores between 1310 and 1470, or ACT scores between 28 and 33. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 1st positions in both rankings.
#10. University of North Florida
The University of North Florida is a public university is located in the city of Jacksonville, in the state of Florida. It is part of the Florida State University system and fully accredited Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.
The University of North Florida has a somewhat selective acceptance rate, with an acceptance rate of 72%. Half of the applicants admitted to the University of North Florida have SAT scores between 1090 and 1260, or ACT scores between 20 and 25.
#11. University of South Florida
The University of South Florida is a public research university with its campuses located in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota, Florida. The main campus is located in Tampa. It is one of the 12 academic institutions that are members of the Florida State University system.
The acceptance rate of the University of South Florida is even higher, with an acceptance rate of 48%. Half of the applicants admitted to the University of South Florida have SAT scores between 1170 and 1330, or ACT scores between 25 and 29. On the ranking list of public universities and among other private universities in Florida the school takes the 2nd positions in both rankings.
#12. University of West Florida
The University of West Florida is a public university located in the city of Pensacola, in the state of Florida. Founded in 1963, the university is part of the Florida State University system and is located on the third-largest campus in the state university system, covering an area of 1,600 acres.
The University of West Florida has a very selective acceptance rate, with an acceptance rate of 31%. Half of the applicants admitted to the University of West Florida have SAT scores between 1060 and 1230, or ACT scores between 22 and 27.
List of Public Universities in Florida Ranking
We have discussed the 12 public universities in Florida in a generic way and subsequently, we will be listing the public universities in Florida according to their ranking.
This ranking has been compiled according to how recognised platforms like the USnews, and Niche have ranked these universities.
Niche ranked all the public colleges and universities in Florida, but Stay Informed Group have to pick out the universities on that list and rank them accordingly so that you’ll be able to see only the public universities excluding the colleges.
Below is a list of the ranking of the 12 public universities in Florida
| University | Public Uni. Rank | General Rank |
| University of Florida | 1st | 1st |
| University of South Florida | 2nd | 2nd |
| Florida State University | 3rd | 3rd |
| University of Central Florida | 4th | 4th |
| Florida International University | 5th | 5th |
| Florida Atlantic University | 6th | 7th |
| University of North Florida | 7th | 10th |
| Florida Institute of Technology | 8th | 11th |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | 9th | 15th |
| University of West Florida | 10th | 14th |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 11th | 19th |
| New College of Florida | 12th | 39th |