• Florida State University ranked 13th among all public colleges in America on Niche’s annual ranking released on Friday 
• The entry praises FSU’s high graduation rate as well as low tuition costs 
• Through Niche’s metrics, seven departments at FSU rank within the top 20 nationwide 
• FSU’s ranking is sustained through research initiatives, spending $325 million in research expenditure in 2021 

Florida State University (FSU) was ranked as the 13th best public university in the country on Friday in Niche’s annual ranking, scoring strongly in academics, campus life, and value.

In its listing, Niche praises FSU’s high graduation rate of 84 percent, which is among the highest in the state, as well as low tuition costs and high-ranking departments.

According to the publication’s ranking system, FSU’s criminal justice program is the best in America. Six additional degree paths rank inside the top 20 nationwide in their respective fields including sports management (6th), information technology (10th), accounting and finance (11th), education (14th), kinesiology and physical therapy (15th), and communications (19th).

FSU’s ranking is propelled due in part to a refined focus on research and industry collaboration implemented within the last ten years, eclipsing more than $325 million in research-focused spending in 2021, good for second in the state behind the University of Florida (UF).

“That’s a very big deal,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “People are taking notice of the things that we’re doing at Florida State.”

In U.S. News & World Report’s global university ranking released last month, FSU ranked 241st among all colleges and universities in the world. The ranking listed FSU as the second-best school in Florida, trailing only UF.

Admission standards to FSU have dramatically risen in recent years, with most incoming freshmen attaining a 4.0-grade point average or higher in high school. Average SAT scores top out at 1350 while the average ACT score is 31.

Domestically, Florida’s university system ranks as the best in the nation, largely due in part to its relative affordability and high-ranking institutions.

“Florida schools are some of the best in the nation, and these rankings show that our investments in higher education and our focus on providing an affordable, quality education are paying off,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis. “I am especially proud that we have not allowed tuition increases since I have been Governor, making higher education in Florida as affordable as virtually anywhere in the nation.”