What You'll Actually Pay
Price after grants
$1,982 to $16,723 a year for in-state students, depending on income.
College Scorecard 2024 estimate · in-state rates
See the price at your income ↑Sticker price
Full cost before aid: $22,523 a year in-state. Average need-based aid package: $20,925.Aid and debt
$18,745
average debt at graduation
3,203
students got merit aid
about 9% of undergraduates
$3,282
average merit award
Not reported by this school: share receiving need-based grants.
Getting In
A note for out-of-state applicants
University of Florida shares one out-of-state enrollment cap with several other public universities in Florida — the limit applies statewide, not to this school individually. If you're applying from outside Florida, your odds may be shaped by that shared, statewide limit rather than by University of Florida's own admissions choices alone.
Per BOG Regulation 7.006.
Key dates
Test scores
SAT, middle 50% of those who submitted: 1330–1490 · 78% of the class submitted
ACT, middle 50% of those who submitted: 29–33 · 39% of the class submitted
85% were in the top 10% of their high school class.
What they value
- Very important
- Course rigor (AP/IB)
- GPA
- Extracurriculars
- Special talent
- Important
- SAT/ACT scores
- Personal essay
- Character
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Considered
- First-gen status
- Where you're from
- In-state residency
- Not considered
- Class rank
- Recommendations
- Legacy status
- Demonstrated interest
What this means for you
Florida rates course rigor and your activities as Very Important, and your essay as Important.
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Rigor means AP, IB, and dual enrollment carry real weight — make sure your mix of AP or IB courses is strong. Depth in a few activities beats a long list. And a strong essay can differentiate an otherwise average application.
Florida doesn't consider demonstrated interest in admissions at all — visits and follow-up emails won't move the needle here.
Source: Common Data Set 2025–26, Section C7 (admissions factors)
Florida just showed you what it values in an application. Use that to write a Why-Florida essay that's actually about you — not a template.
Get sourced starting points for your essayStudent Life
50.5% of Florida classes have fewer than 20 students.
50.5%
under 20 students
38.5%
20 to 49
11%
50 or more
Every class section counts, labs and seminars included; first-year courses tend to be larger. Florida CDS 2025–26, I-3.
17:1
student:faculty ratio
Campus life
23%
live on campus
17%
of men in fraternities
26%
of women in sororities
Who attends
- White47.8%
- Hispanic25.2%
- Asian12.7%
- Multiracial5.1%
- Black4.6%
- Unknown / other1.6%
Enrolled undergraduates; international students are counted separately and not included. Florida CDS 2025–26, B2.
Popular majors
Will They Graduate?
77.4% of Florida students graduate in 4 years.
77.4%
finish in 4 years
Entered fall 2019
92%
finish in 6 years
Entered fall 2019
97%
return after first year
Finishing late means paying for extra semesters, so the 4-year rate is the one that shows the cost.
Students with Pell Grants
89% finish in 6 years, against 92% of all students.
A 3-point gap: Pell Grant students finish less often than students overall.
City & Culture
Beyond the data — what it's actually like to spend four years in Gainesville.
Gainesville is a warm, green college town where the university drives most of what happens — a big student population, cheap food, and live music venues that have been launching bands since the 1970s.
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Natural springs, state parks, and paddling trails sit within an hour in almost every direction. It suits students who want an outdoorsy, sports-forward campus culture at a low cost of living; Jacksonville and Orlando are both within about two hours when you want a city or an airport.
The City
College town
Gainesville, FL
Best For
Notable alumni
Notable Alumni
Chris Malachowsky
Co-founded NVIDIA, now one of the most valuable technology companies in the world, after studying electrical engineering at Florida.
Carol Browner
The longest-serving Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and later White House climate advisor.
Faye Dunaway
Academy Award-winning actor known for Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown, and Network.
Erin Andrews
Sideline reporter and host who has covered NFL games for Fox Sports and multiple Super Bowls.
Emmitt Smith
The NFL's all-time leading rusher, who returned to finish his Florida degree after winning three Super Bowls.
Tim Tebow
Won the Heisman Trophy and two national championships at Florida before playing in the NFL and professional baseball.
Alumni selected for name recognition and range of fields. Not from the Common Data Set.
Traditions
Traditions
Gator Growl
A student-produced homecoming pep rally that has drawn crowds of tens of thousands to Florida Field, with comedians and musical acts alongside the traditional program. Students have run it since 1924.
We Are the Boys
Between the third and fourth quarters of every home football game, the entire stadium links arms, sways, and sings 'We Are the Boys from Old Florida.' It happens win or lose, which is part of why it sticks with people.
The Gator Chomp
Fans extend both arms and clap them together like jaws, timed to the Jaws theme played by the marching band. It started in the 1980s and is now recognized well beyond Gainesville.
Weekend escapes from Gainesville
Weekend Escapes
Within driving distance from Gainesville
Florida's freshwater springs
1 hourIchetucknee, Ginnie, and Devil's Den stay about 72°F year-round for tubing, snorkeling, and diving.
St. Augustine
1.5 hoursThe oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the U.S., with a Spanish fort and Atlantic beaches attached.
Orlando
2 hoursTheme parks, concerts, and the closest major airport hub for cheap flights home.
Getting there and game days
Getting There & Game Days
Nearest airport
Gainesville Regional (GNV)
15 minutes from campus
For international flights: Orlando International (MCO) — about 2 hours by car.
Pro sports nearby
- Jacksonville Jaguars NFLAbout 1.5 hours away
- Orlando Magic NBAAbout 2 hours away
- Orlando City SC MLSAbout 2 hours away
Internships and jobs nearby
Career Proximity
UF Innovate runs startup incubators right on campus, and Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa are all within a couple of hours for summer internships.
Top Industries Nearby
Major Employers
- UF Health Shands Hospital
- Exactech
- Info Tech
- Nationwide
- Publix Super Markets
Jacksonville — about 1.5 hours; Orlando about 2 hours
Who thrives here
Who Thrives Here
Florida pairs $6,400 in-state tuition and 97% of demonstrated need met with unusually low graduate debt of about $18,700 — a case that is strongest for families who qualify for in-state rates. Campus life runs on football Saturdays, where the whole stadium links arms and sings between the third and fourth quarters win or lose, and roughly 17% of men and 26% of women join Greek life.