University of West Florida
#1 Best Colleges for Public Health- Graduation Rate
- 60% C
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $49,137 B-
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $9,364 B
- 45% less than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 58% B
- Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 31.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $31.5 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Colleges for Public Health.
Every $1 spent returns $31.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,141,488.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 20% above the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $31.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why University of West Florida Matters
University of West Florida is a public university in Pensacola, FL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network 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 University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 9,330
- Setting
- Rural
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Humanities, Business & Marketing, Psychology
Why students choose University of West Florida
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 58% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1020–1230. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $9,364 a year after grants and scholarships — 45% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $49,137 ten years after enrolling — 20% above the typical college, against $16,624 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 51% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.41 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
The University of West Florida has a net price of just $9,364, making it one of the more affordable public universities in Florida. This low cost allows students to manage their finances better while pursuing their degrees.
The Chetty/Opportunity Insights data highlights that UWF graduates have a 10-year earnings average of $49,137. This reflects the university's ability to help students from various backgrounds improve their economic situation. While the graduation rate stands at 60%, the school serves a diverse population, including a 33% Pell Grant rate, indicating support for low-income students.
Students here thrive in top programs like Humanities, Health Professions, and Business & Marketing. The median debt of $16,624 suggests that students can graduate with a manageable financial burden. This environment is conducive for those looking for a solid education while maintaining a balance between affordability and quality outcomes.
Rankings
- #1 Best Colleges for Public Health
- #1 Best Bachelor's in Public Health
- #1 Best Master's in Public Health
- #4 Best ROI Colleges for Public Health
- #4 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Florida
- #4 Best Online Education Programs in Florida
- #4 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Florida
- #5 Most Affordable Colleges for Public Health
Can I Get In?
How selective University of West Florida is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of West Florida? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Pensacola, Florida, University of West Florida offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 58% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,138. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Retention Rate
- 89%
- SAT Average
- 1138
- ACT Midpoint
- 24
- SAT Range
- 1020–1230
- ACT Range
- 20–27
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,653
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 22:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.61
- First-Gen Students
- 36%
- Applicants
- 9,113
- Admitted
- 4,377
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 West Florida? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of West Florida is $19,241, 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 $9,364. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,815 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $16,624 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $6,360
- Out-of-State
- $19,241
- Avg Net Price
- $9,364
- Median Debt
- $16,624
- Pell Grant Rate
- 33%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 25%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,815
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $6,462
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,077
- Family Income $110K+
- $16,620
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 West Florida — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is University of West Florida Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of West Florida earn a median of $49,137, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $42,204
- 8 Years
- $44,502
- 10 Years
- $49,137
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.34x
- Earning > $25K
- 61%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (433)
- 31%
- 100% (433)
- 31%
- 100% (433)
- 31%
- 100% (433)
- 31%
Where Grads Go
Top employers of University of West Florida’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.
How University Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is University of West Florida Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, University of West Florida delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,364/year ($37,456 total). Graduates earn $49,137 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,178,944 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,141,488 (31.5× your investment). The median debt is $16,624, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 60% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $37,456
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,178,944
- Net Return
- $1,141,488
- ROI Multiple
- 31.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $9,364
- Median Debt
- $16,624
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 60%
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 West Florida Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
University of West 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 1.45%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 27.9% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 5.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $40,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.45%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 5.2%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 27.9%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $55,569
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-4,195,050
Top Programs
The fields University of West 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.
- Health Professions 18% $69,455 early-career
- Humanities 18% $31,510 early-career
- Business & Marketing 12% $50,050 early-career
- Psychology 8% $30,854 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 6% $60,328 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 5% $29,935 early-career
- Engineering 4% $74,862 early-career
- Communications 3% $32,492 early-career
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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for University of West Florida's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of West Florida? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Pensacola, Florida, University of West Florida offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 58% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,138. The graduation rate is roughly 60%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of West Florida? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of West Florida is $19,241, 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 $9,364. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,815 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $16,624 in federal student loans.
Is University of West Florida Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of West Florida earn a median of $49,137, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does University of West Florida Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
University of West 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 1.45%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 27.9% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 5.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $40,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is University of West 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 West Florida. Its economic connectedness score is 1.41, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to University of West Florida.
- University of Akron Main CampusAkron, OH · Close peer50% grad $46,600 earn 60% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- University of Puerto Rico-MayaguezMayaguez, PR · Close peer48% grad $48,992 earn 57% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · Close peer50% grad $50,220 earn 68% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Southern Utah UniversityCedar City, UT · Close peer60% grad $50,296 earn 82% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- University of West GeorgiaCarrollton, GA · Close peer43% grad $49,587 earn 52% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- North Carolina A & T State UniversityGreensboro, NC · Close peer56% grad $44,440 earn 50% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is University of West 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 West Florida. Its economic connectedness score is 1.41, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note