USF: the complete school report for parents

What’s new at USF for 2026-27

Undergraduate tuition rises 3.25%, against a backdrop of federal loan changes. USF budget papers set an undergraduate tuition increase of 3.25% for the year, with student housing and meal plans rising by the same amount. Separately, and affecting families at every university rather than USF alone, the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act ends Grad PLUS loans from 1 July 2026 and caps Parent PLUS borrowing at $20,000 a year per dependent student with a $65,000 aggregate limit. Budget against the net price below, not the sticker.

Source: Tuition, Fee, Room and Board Recommendations, myUSF; One Big Beautiful Bill Act updates, USF Office of Financial Aid

What does USF actually weigh in admissions?

USF rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 4 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is USF's 2024-2025 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

64% of enrolled students had a 3.50 GPA or above. The average was 3.62 on a 4 scale, reported for 100% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

What is the USF waitlist really like?

USF offered a place on its waiting list to 1,327 applicants and 768 accepted one. 364 were ultimately admitted. That is 47.4% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

USF admitted 48.8% of 1,053 transfer applicants, against 61.7% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.5.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

USF reports its early rounds below.

What does my child need to take in high school?

USF requires 20 academic units. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will USF actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $41,431 a year at USF after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $61,720. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 71% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 271 merit awards averaging $25,966 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

48% of USF graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $38,127 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $244 a month in repayment. USF’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from USF pay off?

Graduates earn a median $89,812 ten years after entering, and $69,951 at six years. 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 73% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

$149,741 to $36,545, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at USF:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

84% of first-years return for a second year. 63% graduate within four years and 70% within six (Fall 2018 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 66.3% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 72.2% of everyone else, a gap of 5.8 points.

How big are the classes?

43% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 40% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission.

What is life at USF like?

5,321 undergraduates, 30% of first-years from out of state. 77% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 62% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 2% of men join a fraternity and 6% of women a sorority. 28% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $82,472.

USF requires all first-time first-year students to live on campus for their first two semesters, and guarantees on-campus housing for the first four semesters. Students reapply after the first year. The university is explicit that the guarantee for first and second years absorbs the supply, so students should expect to live off campus from their third year. Living within 20 miles with a parent or guardian is grounds for exemption.

Source: Student Housing, First Year and Transfer Students, myUSF

How is USF ranked, and how strong is the alumni network?

USF is ranked #110 for national universities in the U.S. News Best Colleges 2026. Its full set of published positions, including the ones that are less flattering:

Shown in full, including the less flattering ones.

Source: USF remains a top university in the latest U.S. News rankings

What this means for your student

• Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
• 64% of enrolled students are at a 3.50 GPA or above, averaging 3.62. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 364 of 768 who waited were admitted, about 47%.
• Its highest-earning major returns $149,741 five years out against $36,545 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about USF

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