Admit rate has ranged 63%–70% over the last 5 years. 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 STEM powerhouse with a beachside campus, where students dive into hands-on research from day one. With a 9:1 student-faculty ratio and a focus on aerospace, engineering, and tech, it attracts a globally diverse student body (63% male, 37% female) who thrive in its high-energy, problem-solving culture. The school's proximity to NASA and defense contractors gives graduates a leg up in the job market—median earnings hit $69,606 within five years of graduation.
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
Median Debt
$27,000
Gender Balance
63% male, 37% female
Acceptance Rate
58%
Graduation Rate
67%
Student-Faculty Ratio
9:1
5-Year Median Earnings
$69,606
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
70%
First-generation share
40%
Endowment / student
$31,129
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
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
6
Per 1,000 students
1.76
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 is moderately selective, admitting 58% of applicants—but don't let that number fool you. The middle 50% of admitted students boast SAT scores between 1120-1320 (or ACT 23-28) and an average GPA of 3.72. Notably, it's one of the few schools accepting the Classical Learning Test (CLT) alongside traditional SAT/ACT submissions. The gender skew is pronounced: 63% male vs. 37% female, reflecting its STEM-heavy focus. Applications are rolling, with no strict minimum GPA requirement, though engineering applicants are strongly encouraged to take rigorous high school math and science courses.
Dubbed "Florida's STEM University," Florida Tech operates like a startup lab crossed with a traditional college. The 9:1 student-faculty ratio means intimate classes—47.6% have fewer than 20 students—and direct access to research projects, often funded by nearby aerospace and defense firms. The curriculum spans 100+ majors, with particular strengths in aeronautics, ocean engineering, and cybersecurity. A signature quirk: the university encourages students to "break things" in controlled environments, whether testing drone designs or marine robotics. The Princeton Review notes that successful applicants typically max out their high school's STEM offerings, especially in calculus and physics.
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.
Life at Florida Tech is a mix of high-intensity academics and beachside downtime. The Melbourne campus—just minutes from the Atlantic—hosts everything from foam pit parties (complete with Crumbl Cookies giveaways) to serious engineering competitions. About 3,500 undergrads create a tight-knit community where Greek life coexists with robotics clubs. Housing is comprehensive but not mandatory, with many upperclassmen migrating to off-campus apartments. The Dean of Students Office runs quirky programs like "Midnight Breakfast" during finals week, while the nearby Kennedy Space Center provides unique internship opportunities. As one YouTube campus tour put it: "We work hard, but we also know how to launch a good time."
Florida Tech graduates punch above their weight in the job market. The 67% graduation rate is solid for a STEM-focused school, with students typically finishing in 4.3 years. Median earnings jump from $36,427 one year post-graduation to $69,606 after five years—well above national averages. Many alumni land at nearby aerospace giants like SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, or NASA contractors, while others leverage the university's strong alumni network in tech hubs. Debt loads are manageable (median $27,000), and the College Scorecard notes that most grads outearn peers with only high school diplomas within a decade.
At $47,280 sticker price, Florida Tech isn't cheap—but 95% of students receive financial aid, bringing the average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. down to $36,364. The school is aggressive with merit scholarships (average $24,000), and Florida residents can stack Bright Futures scholarships ($6,360) with Pell Grants. A typical aid package might include:
$24,000 Florida Tech Scholarship
$6,360 Bright Futures (for Floridians)
$7,395 Pell Grant
$3,500 EASE Grant
Pro tip: The Net Price Calculator shows real bite—one demo family with $60k income got costs down to $12k/year after aid.
Florida Tech is where you go if you want to tinker with satellites by day and surf by sunset. Its killer combo includes: 1. Proximity to Space Coast: Partnerships with NASA and SpaceX mean students intern on real rocket launches. 2. No Red Tape: Undergrads routinely access wind tunnels, wave tanks, and supercomputers typically reserved for grad students elsewhere. 3. Global DNA: With students from 100+ countries, the campus feels like a UN meeting with soldering irons. 4. The Florida Factor: Year-round warm weather and 72 miles of nearby beaches make even all-nighters in the lab feel survivable. As one Quora user put it: "At bigger schools, you study aerospace. Here, you help build the damn rocket."
Florida Institute of Technology logo · sourceFiske Guide: Florida Tech a 'Top Technical Institute' - Florida Tech News+ · sourceFlorida Tech - Full Episode | The College Tour · sourceFlorida Institute of Technology - Melbourne, FL | Appily · source
