Miami Dade College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Miami Dade College is a public institution located in Jacksonville, Florida with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Miami Dade College admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 62%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1115 and an ACT composite around 23. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $10,353 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Miami Dade College is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for Miami Dade College?

Miami Dade College admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

What does Miami Dade College weight in admissions?

Miami Dade College reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

SAT and ACT scores Miami Dade College typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 480–590, with an EBRW midpoint near 565. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–26. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

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.

How much does Miami Dade College actually cost?

Published tuition is $6,389 for in-state students and $20,793 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $10,910 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $10,353 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 31% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Miami Dade College

Will my child graduate from Miami Dade College?

Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.

Most popular majors at Miami Dade College

The most popular undergraduate programs at Miami Dade College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Research and Experimental Psychology, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. Across all programs, Miami Dade College confers roughly 1,764 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General program report a median income of about $53,431 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.

Is Miami Dade College safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Miami Dade College disclosed 3 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 0.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 2 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.

What is campus life like at Miami Dade College?

About 23% of undergraduates at Miami Dade College live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. 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 Florida
  24% acceptance
• University of Miami
  25% acceptance
• Florida State University
  59% acceptance
• University of Central Florida
  40% acceptance
• University of South Florida-Main Campus
  41% acceptance
• Florida International University
  59% acceptance
• University of North Florida
  57% acceptance
• Florida Atlantic University
  41% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Miami Dade College