• The University of Central Florida was ranked by Forbes as the 20th best company to be employed by in Florida. With its inclusion, UCF is the only university to place within the top 20 
• The recognition comes following the launch of the Unleashing Potential initiative launched by the school. As part of the effort, school officials placed a higher level of focus on actions that drive student success 
• UCF employs 12,000 people, making it one of the largest employers in Central Florida

Forbes, in its Best-in-State Employers for 2022 list, ranked the University of Central Florida (UCF) number 20 in Florida. The placement makes UCF the only university to place in the top 20, which includes influential national organizations such as NASA, Google, and Lockheed Martin.

The recognition comes after UCF launched Unleashing Potential, an initiative that places focus on actions and outcomes that drive student success, research, and innovation.

In addition, the initiative plan aims to be among the top 25 public research universities in the country, and eligible for membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) by 2033.

“We intentionally emphasize the potential in every individual and our commitment to provide them with access and opportunity,” said Andrea Guzmán, UCF’s vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “We want UCF to be the best place to learn and work, and that starts with a culture of compassion, inclusion, respect, and free expression.

With more than 70,000 students, UCF is the largest university by enrollment in Florida and one of the largest universities in the nation. It has more than 12,000 employees, marking the school as one of the largest employers in Central Florida, and an operating budget of $2.1 billion.

“UCF is one of the most innovative universities in the country, inspired by boundless optimism. We are emboldened in our pursuit of excellence and steadfast in our commitment to access and opportunity,” said university Board of Trustees Chairman Alex Martins and UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright in a joint statement. “And we believe strongly that potential exists in every individual and organization.”

Forbes says thousands of companies and institutions were considered for its fourth annual rankings, which includes 51 lists — one for each state and the District of Columbia — created in partnership with market research company Statista. Businesses with at least 500 employees were considered. Surveys were conducted anonymously, allowing 70,000 Americans to freely share their opinions.

Respondents were asked to rate their employers on a variety of criteria, including the safety of work environment, the competitiveness of compensation, opportunities for advancement, and openness to telecommuting. Statista then asked respondents how likely they’d be to recommend their employer to others and to nominate organizations in industries outside their own.