• The University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of Miami all earned top distinctions in Niche’s annual ranking of the state’s higher education institutions 
• Florida State experienced a rapid surge in rankings since 2016, rising 24 spots in the national academic rankings since 2016 
• The University of Florida remained the state’s highest-ranked school, placing above traditionally elite universities like New York University and the University of California – Berkeley

Three Florida institutes of higher education — the University of Florida (UF), Florida State University (FSU), and the University of Miami (UM) — received ‘A+’ distinctions in Niche’s annual ranking of state schools.

UF, UM, and FSU, in that order, were ranked as the top three universities in the state, placing them a tier higher than other Florida schools like the University of Central Florida and the Florida Atlantic University.

Across both public and private institutions, UF is the top-ranked college in Florida at number 41 nationally, though was declared the sixth best public university in America. UF’s national ranking places it higher than traditionally elite academic schools such as New York University and the University of California – Berkeley.

UF announced in July that it surpassed $1 billion in research spending for the first time, developing treatments for diseases, new agricultural products, engineering solutions, and countless other advancements.

With $1.076 billion in research expenditures, UF swamps in-state competition. FSU and UM, the next two highest-spending research schools in the state, both spend between $325 million and $350 million on research, respectively, according to economic reports from both schools.

“Surpassing the $1 billion research milestone reflects UF’s continued rise as one of the leading research universities in the United States,” said university Vice President for Research David Norton. “But this number represents far more than dollars – it represents the value of these researchers’ remarkable intellect and talent and its impact on our state, our nation, and the world.”

Meanwhile, UM and FSU placed 57th and 61st in the national rankings, respectively.

FSU has experienced a rapid rise in public school academic rankings in recent years. U.S. News and Reports, who released its college evaluations several weeks before Niche, declared FSU as the 19th-best public school in America, up 24 spots since 2016 when they ranked 43rd.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that undergraduate and graduate students want to come to FSU because they know they will receive a world-class education that will prepare them to compete and lead anywhere,” FSU President Richard McCullough said.

U.S. News also ranked 20 of FSU’s graduate programs and specialties in the Top 25 among public universities last spring. Programs in education, business, law, and engineering all climbed in the rankings, while specialties like statistics, chemistry, biology, and earth sciences saw big gains.

At UM, its medical school serves as the only university hospital system in South Florida and ranks highly among its national peers. The university’s comprehensive care combines patient care, research, and education to create a front-line approach to health care.

The UM Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine last week established an Endowed Chair to Advance Primary Care and Health Equity Research following a $3 million donation from the Chen Family Foundation.

“We are incredibly appreciative of their generosity and partnership,” said UM President Julio Frenk

Niche’s analysis includes factors such as academics, campus, food, and diversity. The website combined data from the U.S. Department of Education and nearly 500,000 college reviews from students.