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University of Central Florida

#1 Best Education Colleges in Florida
Public Orlando, FL · Suburban · Southeast · 100% data
A- Selectivity A- Value B+ Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
77% B+
Solid completion rate — most students graduate
Earnings (10yr)
$58,308 B+
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$10,411 B
39% less than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
40% A-
Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Earnings +43% vs avg
Graduation +34% vs avg
Net Price +-39% vs avg
Mobility Top 16%

Bottom line: A B+ overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 36.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $36.7 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Education Colleges in Florida.

36.7× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $36.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,485,614.

What The Data Says

  1. A B+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Earnings 43% above the national college median.

  3. A 77% graduation rate — 34% above the national average.

  4. Social mobility rate of 2.60% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  5. Every $1 invested returns $36.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Economic Footprint

Inventor Rate
0.5%
Top 43%
Patents
190
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
669
Downstream influence

Why University of Central Florida Matters

University of Central Florida is a public research university in Orlando, FL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a top-tier research enterprise, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, a strong record of moving students up the income ladder, and low net price paired with solid completion. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Research University
Carnegie Class
R1 · Very High Research
Enrollment
59,146
Setting
Suburban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Psychology, Visual & Performing Arts

Why students choose University of Central Florida

Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B+
Top 17% overall
B+
Earnings
$58,308 median
A-
Value
5.6× net price
B
Affordability
$10,411/yr net
B+
Graduation
77% graduate
B+
Social Mobility
2.6% climb Q1→Q5
A-
Selectivity
40% admit rate
B+
Diversity
0.70 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With over 59,000 students enrolled, the University of Central Florida is one of the largest public universities in the nation. This scale translates into a rich diversity of academic programs and campus life, making it a vibrant community for students seeking both education and social engagement.

Data from Opportunity Insights shows that UCF graduates see a median earnings increase to $58,308 ten years after enrolling. This reflects a solid return on investment, especially when considering the university’s net price of $10,411 and median debt of $18,190. While specific mobility metrics are not available, the university serves a significant number of Pell Grant recipients, indicating a commitment to supporting low-income students.

Students who thrive at UCF often pursue degrees in popular fields like Business, Health Professions, and Engineering. The moderate acceptance rate of 40% suggests that the university seeks students who show potential for success. With a graduation rate of 77%, many students are able to complete their degrees and enter the workforce prepared and skilled.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of Central Florida is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of Central Florida? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Orlando, Florida, University of Central Florida reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 40%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,269. The graduation rate is roughly 77%.

Acceptance Rate
40%
Retention Rate
92%
SAT Average
1269
ACT Midpoint
28
SAT Range
1200–1350
ACT Range
25–29
Full-Time Faculty
99%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$11,575
Student–Faculty Ratio
29:1
Diversity Index
0.70
First-Gen Students
35%
Applicants
54,977
Admitted
22,560

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25

The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of Central Florida is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 30% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school many admits weigh against other offers.

Yield Rate
30%
of admits enroll
Submitted SAT
4%
of enrolled freshmen
Submitted ACT
28%
of enrolled freshmen

Test-optional, in practice. Only about 32% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.

Source: University of Central Florida's Common Data Set, 2024-25 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of Central Florida? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of Central Florida is $22,467, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $10,411. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,816 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,190 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$6,368
Out-of-State
$22,467
Avg Net Price
$10,411
Median Debt
$18,190
Pell Grant Rate
32%
Federal Loan Rate
23%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$5,816
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,174
Family Income $48K–$75K
$10,128
Family Income $110K+
$17,681

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at University of Central Florida — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is University of Central Florida Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of Central Florida earn a median of $58,308, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$47,137
8 Years
$52,921
10 Years
$58,308
Debt-to-Earnings
0.31x
Earning > $25K
71%

Earnings Trajectory

$47,137 6yr $52,921 8yr $58,308 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (2,832)
46%
100% (2,832)
46%
100% (2,832)
46%
100% (2,832)
46%

Where Grads Go

Top employers of University of Central Florida’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation77%Earnings 10yr$58KNet Price$10KRetention92%Median Debt$18KPell Grant Rate32%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$6K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$10K$48-75K$18K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%7.2%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%36.0%MOBILITY2.60%

College ROI Calculator

Is University of Central Florida Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, University of Central Florida delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $10,411/year ($41,644 total). Graduates earn $58,308 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,527,258 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,485,614 (36.7× your investment). The median debt is $18,190, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 77% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$41,644
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,527,258
Net Return
$1,485,614
ROI Multiple
36.7×
Cost Per Year
$10,411
Median Debt
$18,190
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
77%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does University of Central Florida Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of Central Florida is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.60%, among the highest in the country. About 7.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 36% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $91,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.60%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
36.0%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
7.2%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$123,909
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is University of Central Florida? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Central Florida. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.51
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.7%
Support Ratio
0.97
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

University of Central Florida produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 190 patents tied to its graduates.

Inventor Rate
0.53%
Top 43% nationally
Patents Produced
190
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
669
Downstream influence
Inventors From Low-Income
0.42%
Bottom-20% families

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Top Programs

The fields University of Central Florida awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of Central Florida? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Orlando, Florida, University of Central Florida reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 40%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,269. The graduation rate is roughly 77%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of Central Florida? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of Central Florida is $22,467, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $10,411. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,816 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,190 in federal student loans.

Is University of Central Florida Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of Central Florida earn a median of $58,308, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does University of Central Florida Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of Central Florida is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.60%, among the highest in the country. About 7.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 36% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $91,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is University of Central Florida? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Central Florida. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Is University of Central Florida really test-optional?

In practice, yes. Only about 32% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at University of Central Florida (2024-25 Common Data Set).

What percentage of admitted students enroll at University of Central Florida?

About 30% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of Central Florida — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

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Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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