University of South Florida-Main Campus: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Tampa, Florida · Public · Selective · CDS 2024-2025
University of South Florida-Main Campus is a public university in Tampa, Florida that admits about 41% of applicants, making it a selective school. The average family pays about $10,043 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Biology, General, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Psychology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 77% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.5 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of South Florida-Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of South Florida-Main Campus admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 41%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1235 and an ACT composite around 27. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $10,043 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of South Florida-Main Campus 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 University of South Florida-Main Campus?
Admitted students at University of South Florida-Main Campus typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses. 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 University of South Florida-Main Campus weight in admissions?
University of South Florida-Main Campus reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Class rank
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of South Florida-Main Campus typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–660, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 24–29. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1130 |
| 50th percentile | 1220 |
| 75th percentile | 1320 |
| % submitting SAT | 77.6% |
| 25th percentile | 24 |
| 50th percentile | 26 |
| 75th percentile | 29 |
| % submitting ACT | 22.1% |
- • 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 | 28.9% |
| Top 25% of class | 62.7% |
| Top 50% of class | 89.3% |
| % submitting class rank | 68.9% |
How much does University of South Florida-Main Campus actually cost?
Published tuition is $6,410 for in-state students and $17,324 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,595 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $10,043 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 30% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $4,559 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $15,473 |
| Room and board | $14,440 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $10,043 |
| Application fee | $30 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of South Florida-Main Campus
| Regular deadline | March 1 |
| Notification date | December 10 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of South Florida-Main Campus?
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 University of South Florida-Main Campus
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of South Florida-Main Campus, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Biology, General, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Psychology, General. Across all programs, University of South Florida-Main Campus confers roughly 5,180 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Biology, General program report a median income of about $59,949 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.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology, General | 1,249 | $59,949 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 1,044 | $56,599 |
| Psychology, General | 811 | $46,565 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 497 | $85,063 |
| Criminology | 427 | $51,831 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 411 | $91,728 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 371 | $72,549 |
| Marketing | 370 | $63,056 |
Is University of South Florida-Main Campus safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of South Florida-Main Campus disclosed 205 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.5 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 12 violent offenses and 13 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 University of South Florida-Main Campus?
About 20% of undergraduates at University of South Florida-Main Campus live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 2% of men join a fraternity. 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 Florida24% acceptance
- University of Miami25% acceptance
- Florida State University59% acceptance
- University of Central Florida40% acceptance
- Florida International University59% acceptance
- University of North Florida57% acceptance
- Florida Atlantic University41% acceptance
- Florida Gulf Coast University86% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of South Florida-Main Campus
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of South Florida-Main Campus recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of South Florida-Main Campus
What GPA do I need for University of South Florida-Main Campus?
Admitted students at University of South Florida-Main Campus typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses.
What SAT or ACT score does University of South Florida-Main Campus typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–660, with an EBRW midpoint near 620. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 24–29.
How much does University of South Florida-Main Campus actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of South Florida-Main Campus after grants and scholarships is $10,043 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of South Florida-Main Campus realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of South Florida-Main Campus is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of South Florida-Main Campus?
University of South Florida-Main Campus accepts about 41% of applicants out of roughly 68,576 who apply each year. That makes it a selective school.
Is University of South Florida-Main Campus test-optional?
No. University of South Florida-Main Campus requires SAT or ACT scores as part of a standard application.
What is the graduation rate at University of South Florida-Main Campus?
About 77% of students at University of South Florida-Main Campus graduate within six years. 91% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of South Florida-Main Campus look for in applicants?
University of South Florida-Main Campus rates course rigor, GPA and test scores as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of South Florida-Main Campus a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of South Florida-Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida.
What are the most popular majors at University of South Florida-Main Campus?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of South Florida-Main Campus by annual graduates are Biology, General, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Psychology, General. The school awards about 5,180 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of South Florida-Main Campus safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of South Florida-Main Campus reported 205 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.5 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 University of South Florida-Main Campus?
At University of South Florida-Main Campus, 20% of undergraduates live on campus, 2% of men are in fraternities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of South Florida-Main Campus, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.