USF Main Campus vs. UCF

Should I go to University of South Florida Main Campus or University of Central Florida? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USF Main Campus or UCF is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of South Florida Main Campus vs. University of Central Florida comparison
University of South Florida Main Campus University of Central Florida College 3 College 4
University of South Florida Main Campus University of Central Florida
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Overview

USF Main Campus UCF
Location Tampa, FL Orlando, FL
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 48,572 69,233
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #413 #387
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usf.edu ucf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USF Main Campus UCF
Tuition (In State) $4,559 $4,478
Tuition (Out of State) $15,473 $19,810
Room & Board $13,595 $12,070
Avg Net Price $11,578 $13,110
Avg Grant Aid $10,012 $9,585
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 85%

Admission

USF Main Campus UCF
Applied 65,187 60,627
Admitted 26,699 23,961
Acceptance Rate 41% 39.5%
Enrolled % 21.7% 34.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/29 25/29
SAT Range 1140/1330 1190/1350
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 May 1, 2026

Academics

USF Main Campus UCF
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 29:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)

Outcomes

USF Main Campus UCF
Graduation Rate 52% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,147 $18,270
Median Loan Payment $197 $188

Diversity

USF Main Campus UCF
% Men 9% 6%
% Women 14% 8%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 53%
% Black 11% 11%
% Hispanic 21% 24%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

USF Main Campus UCF
% In-State 80% 92%
% Out-of-State 13% 8%

Campus

USF Main Campus UCF
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than USF Main Campus based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 48,572 students)

USF Main Campus vs. UCF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USF Main Campus or UCF?

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is 1.8% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($4,559.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28% higher at UCF than University of South Florida Main Campus ($19,810.00 vs. $15,473.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Florida Main Campus than UCF ($11,578 vs. $13,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 12.6% lower than costs at University of South Florida Main Campus ($12,070 vs. $13,595)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida than University of South Florida Main Campus (85% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Florida Main Campus students is 4.5% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($10,012 vs. $9,585)

USF Main Campus vs. UCF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USF Main Campus or UCF? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCF or USF Main Campus .

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Florida (1179) is 2 points higher than at USF Main Campus (1177)
  • Incoming USF Main Campus students have at the same average ACT score (26) as students at UCF (26)
  • Accepted freshman USF Main Campus students have at the same average high school GPA (3.64) as students at UCF (3.64)
  • USF Main Campus has a higher acceptance rate (41%) than UCF (39.5%)

USF Main Campus vs. UCF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USF Main Campus or UCF? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UCF and USF Main Campus.

  • The graduation rate at UCF is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (63% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from University of Central Florida earn on average $2,400 more per year than USF Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $46,500)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $877 lower median federal student loan debt than USF Main Campus graduates. ($18,270 vs. $19,147)
  • UCF graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than USF Main Campus graduates. ($188 vs. $197)
  • More UCF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/