Florida State University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Tallahassee, Florida · Public · Highly selective · CDS 2024-2025
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Florida State University is a public university in Tallahassee, Florida that admits about 24% of applicants, making it a highly selective school. The average family pays about $11,297 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Psychology, General, Finance and Financial Management Services and Criminal Justice and Corrections, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 86% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 4.9 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Florida State University is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Florida State University admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 24%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1350 and an ACT composite around 28. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $11,297 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about Florida State University right now
Florida State University has become materially harder to enter than its reputation as an accessible flagship suggests. For Summer/Fall 2024 FSU received 78,272 first-time-in-college applications, admitted 18,954 and enrolled 5,855, an admit rate near 24 percent. The trend is the point: applications have grown from 58,936 in 2019 to 78,272 in 2024 while the number admitted has fallen from 21,202 to 18,954, so the same student who would have been comfortable a few years ago is now a genuine question mark. The academic profile rose with it. The middle 50 percent of the Summer/Fall 2024 entering class held a 4.1 to 4.5 weighted high school GPA with SAT scores of 1350 to 1430 and ACT of 30 to 32, and the summer/fall 2025 class came in higher again at 4.2 to 4.5. Total enrollment reached 46,184 in Fall 2025, about 72 percent undergraduate, roughly 80 percent of students are Floridians, and 155 National Merit Scholars were enrolled. For Florida families the practical consequence is that qualifying for Bright Futures no longer implies admission to FSU, and the two decisions have to be planned separately.
What GPA does my child need for Florida State University?
52% of enrolled students at Florida State University had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.71, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What does Florida State University weight in admissions?
Florida State University reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
SAT and ACT scores Florida State University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 630–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 640. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–32. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1290 |
| 50th percentile | 1350 |
| 75th percentile | 1400 |
| % submitting SAT | 63.9% |
| 25th percentile | 29 |
| 50th percentile | 30 |
| 75th percentile | 32 |
| % submitting ACT | 36.1% |
- • Tests required: Standardized test scores are part of the standard application package.
- • Policy detail: Required
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 75.7% |
| Top 25% of class | 90.4% |
| Top 50% of class | 98.4% |
| % submitting class rank | 56.2% |
How much does Florida State University actually cost?
Published tuition is $5,656 for in-state students and $18,786 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,474 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $11,297 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 23% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $4,640 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $19,806 |
| Room and board | $13,474 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $11,297 |
| Application fee | $30 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Florida State University
| Regular deadline | 3/1/2026 |
| Notification date | 2/12/26 for applications received before 12/1/25 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | October 15 |
Will my child graduate from Florida State University?
These predict outcomes at Florida State University better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Florida State University
The most popular undergraduate programs at Florida State University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Psychology, General, Finance and Financial Management Services and Criminal Justice and Corrections. Across all programs, Florida State University confers roughly 3,922 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Psychology, General program report a median income of about $54,829 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 818 | $54,829 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 589 | $88,996 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 556 | $55,220 |
| Marketing | 494 | $78,277 |
| Political Science and Government | 431 | $69,965 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 367 | $87,830 |
| Biology, General | 347 | $56,744 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 320 | $48,487 |
Is Florida State University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Florida State University disclosed 158 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.9 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 15 violent offenses and 14 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Florida State University?
About 20% of undergraduates at Florida State University live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 12% of men join a fraternity and 24% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Florida parents ask about
- University of Central Florida40% acceptance
- University of South Florida-Main Campus43% acceptance
- Florida International University55% acceptance
- University of North Florida53% acceptance
- Florida Atlantic University66% acceptance
- Florida Gulf Coast University63% acceptance
- Stetson University72% acceptance
- Rollins College48% acceptance
Next steps for Florida State University
Common questions parents ask about Florida State University
What GPA do I need for Florida State University?
52% of enrolled students at Florida State University had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.71, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Florida State University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 630–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 640. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–32.
How much does Florida State University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Florida State University after grants and scholarships is $11,297 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $5,656 and $18,786 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is Florida State University realistic for my child?
Florida State University admits 24% of applicants, so 630–700 SAT Math is target range and below 630 is a reach. Then check the $11,297 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Florida State University?
Florida State University accepts about 24% of applicants out of roughly 78,272 who apply each year. That makes it a highly selective school.
Is Florida State University test-optional?
No. Florida State University requires SAT or ACT scores as part of a standard application.
What is the graduation rate at Florida State University?
About 86% of students at Florida State University graduate within six years. 96% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Florida State University look for in applicants?
Florida State University rates course rigor as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Florida State University a public or private school, and where is it located?
Florida State University is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida.
What are the most popular majors at Florida State University?
The largest undergraduate majors at Florida State University by annual graduates are Psychology, General, Finance and Financial Management Services and Criminal Justice and Corrections. The school awards about 3,922 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Florida State University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Florida State University reported 158 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 4.9 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Florida State University?
At Florida State University, 20% of undergraduates live on campus, 12% of men are in fraternities, 24% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Florida State University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers