What kind of university it is
University of North Florida is a public four-year institution located in Jacksonville, in Duval County, within that city's metropolitan area. The census code places it in a large city of 250,000 residents or more. That does not tell you how to get to campus or how close it is to where your family lives. If your child plans to live at home, the only honest way to know is to drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the time of their classes. The map never tells the complete truth about traffic.
The federal Carnegie classification system places it among doctoral universities with high research activity and, separately, based on older graduate data, among institutions with research doctorates. That history does not tell you which programs it offers today: that must be checked program by program.
Carnegie also describes it as a large, primarily nonresidential institution. That label does not mean there are no dormitories—there are, as you will see later. It means that, under the government's formula, either fewer than one in four undergraduate students lives in institution-owned housing, or fewer than half study full time. The data do not distinguish which of the two conditions applied. If your child will commute every day, what matters for the budget is the vehicle, gas, and travel time, not the label.
One more Carnegie fact: it classifies the university among institutions that receive many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying at another school, this is a sign that they would not be the only one—but it does not tell you how many credits people transfer in with or how many are lost along the way. Ask that in writing, with the exact list of courses in hand.
As for the highest level it offers, IPEDS records the doctorate as the institution's academic ceiling and classifies it as a school awarding degrees primarily at the bachelor's level or above. That is an institutional fact, not a guarantee that your child's specific major reaches that level. Verify the exact path of the program they are interested in.
And one important clarification: University of North Florida does not have any of these three federal designations: it is not a historically Black college or university (HBCU), it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in the national directory, 138 do have one of the three. The fact that none applies here says nothing about which communities this school serves or how your child will feel on that campus. Ask directly: which cultural centers exist today, which student organizations are available, and, better yet, speak with someone who already studies there.
How many students there are and who they are
University of North Florida reported 16,453 enrolled students in the official fall count. It is a large school: the federal government places it in the range of 10,000 to 19,999 students, and compared with 519 similar selective public universities, it falls on the large side of the group. Of that total, 14,264 study at the undergraduate level and 2,189 at the graduate level—it is primarily a bachelor's-degree school.
The fact that the school is large does not mean its classes are large. Ask directly: how many students are in a first-year classroom, and how many are in the specific major your child is interested in.
As for who shares campus with your child: 16 out of every 100 undergraduate students reported themselves as Hispanic or Latino in fall 2023. They are not a majority, but neither are they rare—and compared with 519 similar selective public schools, this share is above the middle of the group, although not in the highest quarter. There are more women than men: 58 out of every 100. Adults ages 25 to 64 are a minority, only 8 out of every 100.
And one fact that connects directly to what we said about living nearby: out of every 100 new students, 92 reported a permanent address in the state of Florida when applying for admission. Almost all are local. If your child's permanent address is in another state, ask specifically which tuition rate they would have to pay and what requirements are used to classify them, because the reported address and tuition classification are two different things.
How the academic year works and which credits it recognizes
The year at University of North Florida is organized by semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The institution reported that it accepts credit from AP examinations and also accepts credit for military training. It did not indicate that it gives credit for life experience. And it does enroll high school students in college-credit courses through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Saying that it accepts AP does not mean it gives credit for every exam with every score. We do not know from this data how many points it requires or whether those credits apply to your child's specific major. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling, and do not subtract those savings from your budget until you have it in hand.
As for what can be studied: in one year, this university awarded 3,091 bachelor's degrees, distributed across 22 academic program families. No family accounted for a large share: the most popular, health professions, represented only 20 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. It is a broad and distributed offering, not one concentrated in two or three majors. Still, 22 families with activity are not 22 exact majors—each family groups several programs, and some report rows may even show zero degrees. Verify the exact program your child is interested in, by name.
Regarding the student-to-instructional-staff ratio, the university reports 19 full-time-equivalent students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. On the general scale, this is a middle range, but compared specifically with 519 similar schools, it falls in the quarter with the highest ratio—that is, on the side with more students per professor among its peers. Both readings are true at the same time. And neither tells you the actual size of a classroom: ask directly.
Which structured academic pathways it offers
The institution reports several formal opportunities: study abroad, undergraduate research as a cocurricular activity, a complete program that can be taken only in the evenings or on weekends, preparation for teacher certification below the college level, and state approval of the program for initial teacher certification. Their being reported confirms that they exist as a structure; it does not confirm space, cost, or whether they fit what your child wants to study.
How it admits students and how difficult it is to get in
Here is something many families assume incorrectly: University of North Florida does not have open admission. There are elements it reviews before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations the government tracks, excluding admission tests and legacy status, it marked three as required: the high school transcript, the high school grade-point average, and the English-proficiency examination for those to whom it applies. Other elements are not required but are considered if you submit them: your child's class rank, completion of the course plan the university requires, and letters of recommendation.
If your child studied outside the United States, or attended high school in Spanish, ask today whether the English-proficiency examination applies and what would exempt them from it. These are the kinds of things discovered late that complicate everything. The published undergraduate application fee is $30.
Now, the real selectivity numbers. In the 2023 cycle, 21,568 students applied for first-year admission. Of them, 13,430 received an offer of admission: that is 62 out of every 100. Compared with 519 similar selective public schools, this rate falls on the low side—seven out of ten of those schools admitted a higher percentage of their applicants. Viewed the other way: 8,138 applicants did not receive an offer. It is not automatic, and it is not a lottery. Applications are reviewed.
But being admitted is not the same as enrolling, and here is a number that surprises many families: out of every 100 admitted students, only 21 ended up enrolling that fall. The other 79 had a place here and did not take it. Compared with similar schools, this share falls exactly in the middle, neither above nor below. Do not read it as a blemish on the school: the federal record does not explain why each person made the decision they made. What I can tell you is this: what others decided does not predict what your family will be offered. Wait for your letter with the net price—that is what the year will actually cost—and decide using that number, not other people's average.
Regarding exams: the SAT or ACT is required here for the application to be processed. Of the first-time students who enrolled, 70 out of every 100 submitted an SAT score—one of the highest shares among 406 similar universities. Among those who submitted SAT scores, the middle half scored between 510 and 620 in reading and writing, and between 480 and 590 in mathematics. If your child is below those numbers, it does not mean they are excluded—those ranges are for students who already enrolled, not a minimum for admission—but it is a signal to look at it early and discuss it calmly.
Regarding transfers: 1,247 undergraduate students entered here for the first time after having studied at another institution, in fall 2023—a large incoming figure. By contrast, from a specific cohort that entered in 2017, only 8 out of every 100 (165 students) transferred out without earning a degree here, a low share compared with similar schools. That departure rate does not say what happened to the others: they may have graduated, remained enrolled, or stopped studying. And if your child arrives as a transfer student, this figure does not tell you how many courses will be accepted for credit. Request that in writing, with the list of credits in hand, before they move.
What it costs and what is actually paid
At University of North Florida, among 495 first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or district tuition rate, and whose records reported family EFC income below $30,000, the average net price was $6,465. Among 278 students from the same population with family EFC income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $11,120; among 212 students with family EFC income above $110,000, it was $17,447. For dependent students, the range adds their parents' income and their own.
The difference between the average for the lower-income range (495 students) and that for the higher-income range (212 students) is $10,982. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $10,628.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this one falls in the least-expensive quarter for lower-income families, after grants are subtracted. That does not mean it is inexpensive for your family. It is a fact that matters when you make the list of schools to apply to.
The income ranges in this profile describe first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or district tuition rate. The overall average with grants, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask before applying.
How it is paid for: grants, loans, and plans
Aid that does not have to be repaid—grants and scholarships—went to 62 out of every 100 degree-seeking students. That is more than half, not everyone. Compared with similar schools, this share falls in the quarter where aid reaches fewer students; among those who did receive it, the annual average was $8,015.
The Pell Grant—specific federal aid for low-income families—went to 31 out of every 100 students. That is less than one-third. The difference between the 62% who receive some aid and the 31% who receive Pell may include federal aid other than Pell, state, local, or institutional aid; this breakdown does not allow us to know exactly what makes it up. Ask which specific programs make up that difference.
Regarding loans: only 24 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in academic year 2022-23. Most were not awarded one. Compared with similar schools, this share is also on the low side. Among those who did borrow, the average was $5,770 that year. A student appearing here does not mean the loan was enough to cover the full year, and this average does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, credit-card debt, or debt accumulated over several years through graduation. That number is not in this report.
The institution also offers a tuition installment payment plan as a formal mechanism for managing the cost.
The campus: housing, sports, distance, and support
University of North Florida does have institution-owned housing, with reported capacity for 3,780 students. It is not required for all full-time, first-time students—but that does not rule out that a specific program may require it. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies according to the plan selected. Before removing room and board from your budget, request this year's exact rate, the deadline to apply for housing, and whether a space is guaranteed or you will be placed on a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC: there is an opportunity in two specific branches—Army and Navy. The Air Force is not marked. Its being reported does not say whether the program is completed on this campus or at another nearby campus, nor does it say anything about capacity or associated scholarships: ask about that by name.
In athletics, the university does compete at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, for basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field according to the report. The affiliation belongs to the school, not your child: if they are interested, write directly to the coach for that sport and ask in writing about roster spots, division, and athletic scholarship.
Regarding distance education: it offers it at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the fall count, 12 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire academic load at a distance; the other 88 took at least one in-person class. The university also reports that it offers at least one complete program that can be finished entirely at a distance—although the data do not confirm at which specific level. Confirm the specific major.
The library operates with paid staff and annual spending that exceeds the government-tracked threshold of $100,000. It has physical and digital materials and participates in interlibrary loan. That confirms a basic structure, not whether there are databases specific to your child's major: ask by program name.
Finally, the institution reports a broad list of services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students and placement services for graduates, child care on campus, a postsecondary transition program for students with intellectual disabilities, a dedicated contact point for veterans and military personnel, a student veterans organization, and a services webpage for people with disabilities. Their being reported confirms that they exist as an institutional offering; it does not confirm how they work in practice or their effectiveness for your child in particular.
What happens to those who enroll: retention and graduation
This is perhaps the section that should matter most to you, because it speaks to whether students stay and finish.
From a cohort of 3,008 full-time students who entered in fall 2022, 81 out of every 100 (2,442) met the official retention criterion: they remained enrolled here or had already graduated one year later. Compared with 519 similar schools, this share falls in the upper part of the group. For part-time students, the figure was different and lower: 60 out of every 100, in a much smaller cohort of 97 people. Do not combine these two figures: they are different groups, with different circumstances.
Regarding graduation: of 2,134 students who entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor's degree, full time and for the first time, 1,343 had graduated from here within six years. That is 63 out of every 100—a little more than half. At four years, the figure drops to 49 out of every 100; the difference between four and six years is 14 points, and it is worth keeping in mind when planning how many years of cost to budget for. Compared with similar schools, it falls in the upper half of the group.
It is worth seeing the complete breakdown of that cohort of 2,134, because not everyone who did not graduate “disappeared”: 112 completed a shorter program here within the time limit, 165 transferred and continued at another school, 14 remained enrolled without finishing, and 500 fell into the “no longer enrolled” category—which does not explain the reason and may include those who graduated after the measured time limit.
There is a longer, eight-year measure that follows a different and broader cohort (4,482 students who entered between 2015 and 2016, including full-time and part-time students, with and without prior college experience). At that point, 65 out of every 100 had already earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure was almost identical: 64 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, it also falls in the upper half. Note one detail: 30 out of every 100 in that cohort had an “unknown” enrollment status at the measurement point—which does not mean they had stopped studying, only that the report could not determine where they were.
What this article cannot tell you
This article does not know what happens after graduation—earnings, employment, final accumulated debt. Those data require another source and are not certified here.
How to put it all together
Now you know, with the depth official data permit, one of the three pieces you need to decide. You know that University of North Florida is a large public university, with admission that does review transcripts and exams, with moderate selectivity, a net price that favors lower-income families compared with its peers, and graduation and retention results that are above the median for similar schools.
Put it together with what your child wants to study and what they have already built in high school—that is known by them, not by this article. Put it together as well with what your family can and is willing to pay, something only you know. From that combination, and not from a single piece, comes a real plan.
Your child is responsible for studying, making an effort, deciding what they want, and taking responsibility for their application. You are responsible for understanding the money, reviewing the deadlines, asking the questions this article has pointed out, and supporting them without carrying by yourself what belongs to them. There is no test you pass by understanding these numbers; there is simply a family decision that is better informed than it was before reading this.
Source note: The information in this article comes from official data reported by University of North Florida to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) of the United States Department of Education, corresponding primarily to cycles 2022-23 and 2023-24, with comparisons against a certified census of 3,012 institutions. Best College Aid does not represent University of North Florida or the United States government, and this article does not constitute individualized admissions advice.