| Updated On - Sep 10, 2025
Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, and it is situated in a midsize city environment. It is a big school with around 32,356 undergraduate students. The admissions are competitive and an acceptance rate of around 25%, though in recent cycles it has approached 21–22 percent. Popular majors include Business, Social Sciences, Psychology, Visual and Performing Arts, and Family and Consumer Sciences. The six-year graduation rate is 86 percent, and FSU graduates earn a median income of approximately INR 51,20,000 (converted from $61,680 six years after enrollment). The university also has a robust retention rate of 96 percent.
The University of Florida (UF) is a public land-grant research university located in Gainesville, Florida, situated also in a midsize city environment. It is a larger institution with a total enrollment of 54,814 students, of which over 34,000 are undergraduates. Admissions is quite competitive, and the acceptance rate is 24%. The most popular majors are Social Sciences, Business, Engineering, Health Professions, and Biology. The six-year graduation rate is 91 percent, and UF alumni make between INR 51,80,000 and INR 1.02 crore (USD $62,600 to USD $123,700 ten years after graduation median earnings). The first-year retention rate of the university is 97 percent.
| Florida State University | University of Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 4.4 Out of 10 | 5.6 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 549 QS World University 2026 # 301 Times Higher Education 2025 # 308 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 212 QS World University 2026 # 86 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 130 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 251 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 401 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 38 for Law by US News 2025 | # 43 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 145 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 38 for Law by US News 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -100 PG Programs -79 | UG Programs -111 PG Programs -84 Doctorate Programs -8 |
| Acceptance Rate | 25.0 % | 24.0 % |
| Exam Score | Duolingo-120 IELTS-6.5 PTE-55 SAT-1190 TOEFL-80 | IELTS-6 MELAB-77 SAT-1310 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 29362 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 24420 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 17418 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 28658 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 30134 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 12120 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Some of the top employers of the university include: Insight Global, Techtronic Industries(TTi), Deloitte, RSM US LLP, PepsiCo, L3HarrisGallagher, KPMG LLP, EY, ALDI, Inc., Protiviti, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Some of the programs and the average salary are as follows: Masters in Finance: $133,000 Masters in Science: $100,000 Bachelor of Science: $95,000 Bachelor of Arts: $59,000 Doctorate: $55,000 | #81 for Graduate Employability Rank (2023) Average Salaries Are Listed Below:
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| Campuses and B-Schools | NA | Hough Graduate School of Business |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 8.6/10 Read 20 reviews | 7.9/10 Read 17 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 105 for Business by US News 2025 # 251 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 301 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 | # 38 for Business by US News 2025 # 101 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 102 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 120/160IELTS - 7.0/9PTE - 66/90TOEFL - 100/120 | GMAT - 680/800GRE - 308/340IELTS - 7.5/9TOEFL - 90/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Jan 15, 2026 (Priority Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Jun 1, 2026 (Final Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) | Oct 15, 2025 (Application and Document submission Deadline For 2026 Intake) Aug 15, 2025 (Orientation period for 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Florida State University | University of Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 |
| Male:Female | 44% Male, 56% Female | 46% Male, 54% Female |
| Location Facts | The main campus is located at Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State University Panama City is located 100 miles (160 km) from the main campus. | Largest single-campus university in the nation. The only university in USA with 6 different healthcare colleges. The campus is bounded by Archer Road and University Avenue. You can visit local and state parks in Gainesville. |
| Library | The Florida State University Libraries provide collections and services to enhance the learning, teaching, research, and service activities of the University. The Libraries’ collections include over 4 million titles and offers access to more than 1,064 databases and 120,000 electronic journals, supplemented by a robust interlibrary loan program, including the statewide UBorrow system which includes over 15 million books from all 40 state university and college libraries. | 4,577,222 volumes, 8,099,054 microforms; 629,979 ebooks; 78,797 e-journals; 356 electronic databases. |
| Campus Life | Florida State University is a traditional residential university wherein most students live on campus in university residence halls or nearby in privately owned residence halls, apartments and residences. Florida State currently has 18 residence halls on campus, housing undergraduate, graduate and international students. Florida State University has more than 700 organizations and clubs for students to join. They range from cultural and athletic to philanthropy.The Bobby E. Leach Student Recreation Center is a 120,000 square foot fitness facility located right in the heart of campus. The Leach Pool is a 16-lane by 25-yard indoor swimming facility with two 1-meter and two 3-meter diving boards. A complete spa area is located just off the pool deck and is equipped with two whirlpools, two steam rooms, and a sauna. The leach center provides over 100 free group fitness classes offered weekly along with personal training provided by NSCA-certified personal trainers. A large amount of student life is centered around the FSU Student Union, located on the North side of campus. The FSU campus is served by eight bus routes of the Seminole Express Bus Service. The Seminole Express Bus Service provides transportation to, around, and from campus to the surrounding Tallahassee areas for Faculty, Staff, Students and Visitors. | Campus has Florida Museum of Natural History, |
| Hostel | #Housing (Living with Parents) - $3944 #Housing (On Campus & Off Campus) - $7890 | #Living Expenses - $12120 |
| Famous Alumni | Winston Scott, Former NASA astronaut Norman Thagard, Former NASA astronaut and currently a tenured professor of engineering at Florida State University Lex Hester, Consolidation architect, former chief administrative officer in Orlando, Broward County and Jacksonville Margaret Keyes, American academic and heritage preserver. Sandon Berg, Film producer, actor, and screenwriter; co-founder of the United Gay Network Sara Blakely, President and founder of Spanx; judge on ABC's former reality television series American Inventor | Half a million students had graduated from University of Florida. Eight Former US ambassador, 6 astronauts, and 10 former lorida governors. Notable alumni are Michael Connelly (author), Maurkice Puncey (football center), Faye Dunaway (actress), Marco Rubio (senator of Florida), Kevin Ford (Astronaut), Katie Miller (American Government Appointee). |
| City Life | Located on the edge of the tree-covered Red Hills region near the border of Georgia, Tallahassee enjoys four distinct seasons. The city’s Southern heritage influences its architecture, landscape, attitude and pace of life. Locals are friendly and inviting, uniting every football season to cheer on their hometown heroes, the FSU Seminoles and FAMU Rattlers. With three higher education institutions in town, locals can take advantage of cultural activities, sporting events and nightlife. The two universities’ music schools host student concerts and attract professional performers. Florida State University’s art, dance and writing programs also offer events. Local real estate is more affordable here than in some other Florida cities, despite rising property values and home sale prices. | Gainesville is the largest city in Alachua County; It has a regional transit system, a municipal airport, and a championship golf course; Education, healthcare, retail and hospitality are the largest employing sectors; Unemployment rate was 3.0% in January 2020; Major tourist attractions are Butterfly Rainforest, Florida Museum of Natural History, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, Sweetwater Wetlands Park, etc. |
| Weather |
Florida State University vs University of Florida
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
The subject strength and international rankings of the University of Florida are far higher than those of Florida State University. In QS World University Rankings 2026, UF ranks 212th and FSU ranks 549th. In Times Higher Education 2025, UF ranks 130th and FSU ranks 301st. UF leads in Engineering, Medicine, and Law, its Engineering programs ranked 43rd in the country by U.S. News 2025, and its Law programs 38th. FSU leads in Law as well, ranked 38th in the nation by U.S. News 2025, and Business and Social Sciences, and is ranked in the top 50 percent globally for Visual and Performing Arts by EduRank 2025. UF has an edge with its greater academic reputation, but FSU excels in the arts and humanities.
General Information
General comparisons see UF as the larger school with 54,814 students over FSU's 43,234. UF has 103 undergraduate and 84 graduate programs offered in 16 colleges, with research and innovation as its major focus. FSU has 100 undergraduate and 79 graduate programs, with a liberal arts and professional education focus. UF's Gainesville campus is a center of international research activity, while FSU's Tallahassee campus, which is close to the state government, offers an urban setting with an intense sense of community. Both universities also have energetic sports cultures as NCAA Division I institutions, by the Gators and the Seminoles.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
As for acceptance rate and admissions, UF is just a tad more competitive with 24 percent of applicants being accepted versus FSU's 25 percent. UF has an applicant pool slightly smaller at approximately 65,000 versus FSU's 74,000 but the yield rate for UF is much higher at 43.1 percent versus FSU's 31.3 percent. What this shows is that UF draws higher academic profiles overall, whereas FSU focuses on accessibility, especially for residents.
Research Impact & Facilities
When it comes to research output and facilities, both universities are R1 research institutions, characterizing very high research activity. UF has 3,581 faculty and over 180 research centers, such as the Emerging Pathogens Institute, and has a higher global citation output. FSU has 2,167 faculty and is strong in research in the Social Sciences, Business, and Arts. It is the site of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the world's largest and most sophisticated magnet lab. UF's larger graduate programs, which have 19,890 students compared to FSU's 11,017, help to establish UF's wider research footprint, but FSU focuses on enabling undergraduates to experience research in a meaningful way.
Cost & Financial Aid
The cost of going to the two universities also differentiates them. FSU's out-of-state fee is INR 15,62,000 ($18,749), and room and board are INR 10,62,000 ($12,740). UF's out-of-state fee is INR 23,91,000 ($28,659), and room and board are INR 9,62,000 ($11,500). UF students are aided more on average, with INR 8,11,000 ($9,719) as opposed to FSU's INR 7,39,000 ($8,848), and 88 percent of UF students are aided versus 86 percent at FSU. FSU is thus more affordable, especially for out-of-state students, whereas UF carries its bigger student population with more average aid.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
With regards to career success and alumni achievements, UF alumni have higher average salaries and a higher graduation percentage compared to FSU students. UF's six-year graduation rate is 91 percent to FSU's 86 percent. Six years after matriculation, UF graduates have approximately INR 46,90,000 ($56,398), and ten years after graduation, average salaries fall between INR 51,80,000 and INR 1.02 crore ($62,600 to $123,700) based on career path. FSU graduates have a net salary of around INR 51,20,000 ($61,680) after six years of joining. UF alumni are excellent in Engineering, Business, and Health Professions with robust national and international networks, and FSU alumni do well in Business, Arts, and Social Sciences and gain exclusive policy experience through its Legislative Internship Program. UF's greater 97 percent retention rate over FSU's 96 percent, as well as its wider national recognition, provides better long-term career opportunity, while FSU excels in being affordable, having a robust community, and having access to careers in public policy.
