Admit rate has ranged 58%–64% 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 International University (FIU) is Miami's powerhouse public research university, where a no-nonsense approach to career-focused education meets the vibrant energy of one of America's most diverse cities. With a 59% four-year graduation rate that outpaces many peers and a top-10 national ranking for return on investment, FIU delivers pragmatic value—especially for first-gen and working-class students. Its 190+ degree programs, from hospitality management to engineering, thrive in a commuter-school ecosystem where campus life competes with South Beach sunsets.
Admission requirements
Test scores required
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
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
39,508
In-state tuition
$6,565
Out-of-state tuition
$18,964
Acceptance Rate
54-57%
Degree Programs
190+
4-Year Grad Rate
59%
Financial Aid Recipients
63.5%
Median Earnings (6 Years)
$47,768
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$60,249
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
6.5×
Median debt at graduation
$16,500
Graduation rate
74%
First-year retention
92%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
54%
Pell (lower-income) share
81%
First-generation share
41%
Endowment / student
$8,549
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Engineering$72,274
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician$67,101
Mechanical Engineering$66,897
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$66,653
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$63,071
Civil Engineering
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
11
Per 1,000 students
0.28
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
104
Summer high
88°F
Winter low
62°F
Annual rain
71"
Natural-hazard risk
Very 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
506
Scholarly works
79,323
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
5.2%
Bottom → top quintile
35%
From bottom quintile
15%
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 International University?
Florida International University's acceptance rate is approximately 55% (Miami, FL), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Florida International University?
Admitted students at Florida International University typically score 1070–1260 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Florida International University cost?
At Florida International University, the average net price (after aid) is about $9,288 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Florida International University?
Florida International University enrolls approximately 39,508 undergraduate students.
Where is Florida International University located?
Florida International University is located in Miami, FL.
Admissions
FIU's admissions process walks the line between accessible and selective, with a 54-57% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. that reflects its role as Miami's largest public university. The middle 50% of admitted freshmen post SAT scores between 1070-1250 or ACT scores of 21-27, though the university emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone. beyond test scores. All first-time-in-college (FTIC) students must take a math placement test, and minimum subscores are enforced across standardized tests. Notably, FIU's 4-year graduation rate for FTIC students (59.4% for the 2017-21 cohort) exceeds its 55% target—a rarity for urban commuter schools.
FIU operates like a vocational incubator with research muscle, offering 190+ degrees including standouts in hospitality management (a natural fit for Miami), international business, and engineering. The curriculum leans pragmatic—social sciences (6% of majors), engineering (5%), and health professions dominate. Online programs draw particular praise for quality, while Reddit threads debate whether FIU's 'underrated' status stems from its commuter-school vibe or Miami's distraction-heavy environment. As one Quora user bluntly puts it: 'You'll definitely receive a quality education at an extremely competitive price.'
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.
$59,485
Computer and Information Sciences, General$58,077
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$56,776
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.
This is a campus where the Graham Center buzzes with salsa rhythms between classes, yoga sessions sprawl across lawns, and 200+ clubs—from Haitian student associations to esports teams—compete with Miami's nightlife for attention. The vibe is 'friendly but not clingy,' per Niche reviews, with students praising the diversity (no ethnic majority) but noting the social scene requires initiative. 'FIU has free events, concerts, sports...the school itself has any & every thing all schools have,' argues one Redditor, though the commuter-heavy population means weekends thin out.
FIU punches above its weight in ROI: it ranks #8 nationally for economic return on investment, with graduates earning median salaries of $47,768 six years out. The 59% four-year graduation rate (2021 cohort) defies commuter-school stereotypes, and 2020-21 saw a record 16,678 degrees awarded. Early-career earnings average $36,427—solid for a school where 63.5% of students receive aid. These metrics reflect FIU's focus on funneling students into Florida's tourism, healthcare, and trade sectors.
FIU's sticker price—$9,881 after average aid—positions it as a bargain for in-state students, with 63.5% receiving financial aid packages averaging $10,847. The university distributes over $180 million annually in aid, including need-based grants and law school scholarships. Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculators suggest most working-class Miamians can attend for under $5k/year after aid, a key factor in FIU's high Pell Grant recipient enrollment.
FIU is the anti-ivy: a scrappy, polyglot university where First-generation (first-gen)A student who would be the first in their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. Many colleges consider this in context. students outnumber legacies and ROI trumps prestige. Its secret sauce? A 59% four-year grad rate that shatters commuter-school norms, paired with Miami's global industries as a living lab. Where else can hospitality majors intern at Fontainebleau between classes, or political science students debate Cuban exile politics over cafecito? The campus may lack rah-rah traditions, but it delivers something rarer: upward mobility with palm trees.
Florida International University logo · sourceFlorida International University - State University System of Florida · sourceLocations | Florida International University in Miami, FL · sourceFlorida International University – MICEFA · source
