Admit rate has ranged 63%–70% over the last 5 years, though the latest figure above (58%) falls outside that window. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Florida Institute of Technology is a private STEM powerhouse on Florida's Space Coast, where the curriculum is as hands-on as the local aerospace industry. With a 9:1 student-faculty ratio and a campus culture that skews heavily male and technically focused, it's a place for students who want to build, launch, and code alongside professors—not just read about it. The vibe is more lab coat than letterman jacket, offering a direct, high-tech pipeline to careers in engineering, aviation, and science.
Admission requirements
Test scores required
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
3,404
In-state tuition
$45,900
Out-of-state tuition
$45,900
No-Loan Policy
Not indicated in sources
Meets Full Need
Not indicated in sources
Male/Female Ratio
63% / 37%
Early Decision Policy
Early Acceptance Program offered
Student-Faculty Ratio
9:1
Median Earnings (10yr)
$43,137
Graduation Rate (6-year)
64%
First-Year Retention Rate
59%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$43,137
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.2×
Median debt at graduation
$27,000
Graduation rate
64%
First-year retention
80%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
37%
Pell (lower-income) share
21%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
40%
Financial health
2.4 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$69,338
Information Science/Studies$67,660
Computer Science$67,324
Mechanical Engineering$65,557
Computer Engineering$65,486
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering$60,623
Applicants here also applied to
The schools that most often appear alongside Florida Institute of Technology on applicants’ lists, from our self-reported outcomes corpus.
Co-application frequency from self-reported results — directional peer discovery, not a recommendation.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
6
Per 1,000 students
0.69
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
129
Summer high
87°F
Winter low
59°F
Annual rain
56.5"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
339
Scholarly works
15,439
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
3.8%
Bottom → top quintile
51%
From bottom quintile
7%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Florida Institute of Technology?
Florida Institute of Technology's acceptance rate is approximately 58% (Melbourne, FL), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Florida Institute of Technology?
Admitted students at Florida Institute of Technology typically score 1120–1320 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Florida Institute of Technology cost?
At Florida Institute of Technology, the average net price (after aid) is about $35,639 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Florida Institute of Technology?
Florida Institute of Technology enrolls approximately 3,404 undergraduate students.
Where is Florida Institute of Technology located?
Florida Institute of Technology is located in Melbourne, FL.
Admissions
Florida Tech operates with a moderately selective admissions process, accepting just over half of its applicants. The university does not publish a binding Early Decision program, but it does offer an Early Acceptance Program, though specific and advantages for early applicants are not detailed in the provided sources. The admissions office does not specify minimum GPA, class rank, or standardized test score requirements, but the middle 50% of admitted students present strong academic credentials. The rate—the percentage of admitted students who enroll—has historically been low, averaging around 11% and dipping to 9.42% for the 2025 cycle, indicating many admitted students choose other options. The university's own quick facts show an average GPA of 3.72 for admitted students. While the is a critical resource for understanding admissions factors at many colleges, the provided sources do not include Florida Tech's specific CDS to clarify the importance of factors like demonstrated interest, interviews, or extracurricular activities in their review process.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Chemical Engineering$57,318
Civil Engineering$49,019
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
The academic identity of Florida Tech is unequivocally "research-driven, high-tech and hands-on." This isn't a liberal arts college with engineering on the side; it's a focused institute where applying knowledge in real-world contexts is the stated pedagogical core. The intimate scale is a major asset, with a student-faculty ratio of 9:1 and nearly half (47.6%) of all classes having fewer than 20 students. This facilitates the hands-on, project-based learning the university promotes. The curriculum offers a "wide variety of options for engineering," which is the school's central draw, alongside other STEM and technology-focused programs. The approach is designed to give students "real experience applying" their knowledge, presumably through labs, research with faculty, and co-op opportunities tied to the surrounding tech and aerospace industries on the Space Coast. Student perspectives highlight the strength of the engineering programs and note positive job opportunities in the region.
Florida Tech bills itself as a "comprehensive residential college experience," where campus is designed to be a self-contained hub for living, learning, dining, and socializing. The student body has a pronounced gender imbalance, with about 63% male and 37% female undergraduates. Campus life is actively fostered by the Dean of Students Office, which runs programs aimed at personal growth and community engagement. A major annual event is the Student Life Fair, which connects students with a range of organizations—from service clubs and academic societies to cultural groups. Social life, as reported by students on Niche, suggests a relatively quiet campus during the week, with a significant portion (38%) describing the party scene as "some decent frat/house parties, weekends only." Only 2% reported "tons of raging parties almost any night of the week," painting a picture of a campus where social life is present but not dominant, likely reflecting the demanding academic focus and gender ratio. The overall culture is one of connection and involvement within the campus community.
Graduation and career outcomes are mixed but show a strong earnings trajectory for graduates who persist. The six-year graduation rate is a key metric, reported at 64%. First-year retention—a predictor of eventual graduation—is reported at 59%. For those who graduate, the financial payoff is significant. While the university reports that many recent graduates see starting salaries in the $50,000 to $60,000 range, longer-term data shows robust growth. Alumni earnings one year after graduation average $69,606, jumping to $80,275 five years out. The university's network of over 65,000 alumni provides a professional base for graduates, who often go on to become leaders in their technical fields. The outcomes data underscores the return on investment for students who complete their degrees at this STEM-focused institution.
Attending Florida Tech requires a significant financial investment. The university emphasizes that most full-time undergraduates on the Melbourne campus receive some form of financial assistance, which can include scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study. To help families plan, Florida Tech promotes a "highly accurate" Calculator on its financial aid website, which provides early estimates of aid and out-of-pocket costs. Published figures for the average net price—the cost after grants and scholarships—vary slightly between sources, with one reporting $36,364 and another $38,020. The average financial aid package is reported to be $24,420. The provided sources do not indicate that Florida Tech has a "no-loan" policy or a commitment to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students without including loans in the package. Families are encouraged to use the official calculator and work directly with the Financial Aid Office, which offers walk-in and appointment-based support.
Florida Tech carves out a distinct niche by fusing an intimate, hands-on technical education with the unique ecosystem of Florida's Space Coast. It’s not trying to be a sprawling research university or a broad liberal arts college. Its standout feature is its deliberate, applied focus: education is "research-driven, high-tech and hands-on" by design, facilitated by a remarkably low 9:1 student-faculty ratio. This creates an environment where students likely work directly with professors on projects that have real-world relevance, especially in engineering and aerospace. The location is more than a backdrop; it's an integrated part of the career pipeline, with noted job opportunities in the area. The student culture reflects this focus—it's a campus of builders and problem-solvers, where social life is present but the dominant energy is channeled into academic and professional development. For a student seeking a collaborative, project-intensive STEM education with direct ties to industry, away from the distractions of a massive university or a party-school atmosphere, Florida Tech offers a targeted and potent alternative.
Florida Institute of Technology seal · sourceFiske Guide: Florida Tech a 'Top Technical Institute' - Florida Tech News+ · sourceFlorida Tech - Full Episode | The College Tour · sourceFlorida Institute of Technology | Virtual Tour · source
