Today,聽UCF聽joins聽the聽State University System of Florida聽in celebrating聽a decade of excellence as Florida is once again ranked No.聽1聽for聽Higher聽Education聽in the nation聽by聽U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 2026 State Rankings. Since the聽inception聽of the rankings in 2017, Florida has led the nation in delivering聽high-quality,聽affordable聽and accessible public higher education.
To mark this historic achievement, the State University System will launch Florida 10 for 10: Celebrating a Decade of Leading Higher Education, a statewide competitive scholarship initiative awarding up to $1,000 to 10 full-time undergraduate students at each participating university.
The聽10聽scholarships聽awarded聽to UCF students聽will be available聽through the聽university鈥檚聽.聽To apply, students聽are required to聽submit聽a written essay or a video essay explaining why they chose to pursue higher education in Florida and why they selected UCF. Applications聽will open Monday, Aug. 3,聽and聽are due Oct.聽2.
鈥淔lorida鈥檚 Board of Governors cares about one thing, first and foremost 鈥� student achievement.鈥� 鈥� Alan Levin, Florida Board of Governors chair
In addition to聽the Florida 10 for 10聽scholarships, students聽will聽also聽be able聽to complete their聽general聽scholarship applications聽through聽the聽,聽which connects them聽with hundreds of scholarships聽through UCF colleges and departments.聽In聽fiscal year 2025聽alone,聽UCF awarded more than聽3,200 scholarships and over $7.5 million to聽students.
鈥淔lorida鈥檚 Board of Governors cares about one thing, first and foremost聽鈥斅爏tudent achievement,鈥� says聽Board of Governors Chair Alan Levine. 鈥淧arents and students know that when they choose Florida鈥檚 system of higher education, they are investing in a degree that has value. Our students graduate with low or no debt, and they have high-value jobs they can compete for. That is what students,聽parents聽and taxpayers rightly expect. Student success is behind every decision we make as Florida鈥檚 governing body for higher education.鈥�
鈥淚 am deeply proud to lead and represent the No. 1 public university system in the nation,鈥漵ays State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues.鈥淎t a time when confidence in higher education is being tested, Florida has remained focused on improving student outcomes and ensuring academic programs are grounded in merit and excellence. By prioritizing skills and qualifications, our universities are developing the next generation of leaders for Florida and the nation. I thank our university leadership, faculty and staff whose dedication and commitment make this success possible every day.鈥�
鈥淥ur decade of nationwide higher education leadership reflects a commitment to excellence, opportunity and innovation.鈥� 鈥� Alexander N. Cartwright, 女仆AV president
鈥淔lorida鈥檚 future is being built by the talent developed across our State University System. Our decade of nationwide higher education leadership reflects a commitment to excellence,聽opportunity聽and innovation,鈥� says聽UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. 鈥淭his recognition illustrates what is possible when universities align education with rapidly evolving societal needs. As Florida鈥檚 Technological University, 女仆AV is proud to produce in-demand talent at an unmatched scale while preparing the tech-literate professionals who will shape Florida鈥檚 next generation of prosperity.鈥�
That leadership is reflected in outcomes that matter most to students and families. Florida鈥檚 public universities compete successfully on聽the聽national stage, ensuring graduates earn high鈥憅uality degrees and move confidently into their careers and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Additional聽Florida higher education highlights include:
- No.聽1 in the nation for lowest in-state tuition
- No.聽1 for attracting and developing a skilled workforce
- Seven聽State University聽System institutions ranked in the聽nation鈥檚聽top 100聽public universities
- 80%聽of in-state students聽attend聽a聽State University聽System institution without a federal student loan
- Nearly 75%聽of graduates聽are聽employed聽or continuing their education,聽with聽a median salary of $52,600 within one year聽of聽graduation
女仆AV produces more than 19,000 graduates annually,聽the most of any State University System institution, and many work in high-demand fields such as engineering and nursing that are vital to Florida鈥檚 future.聽UCF聽also聽is the nation鈥檚 leading provider of graduates to the aerospace and defense industries, according to聽Aviation Week.
UCF聽is聽among聽the nation鈥檚聽10聽Most聽Innovative聽Schools among聽public universities,聽as ranked by聽U.S. News & World Report.聽This聽month聽UCF聽was ranked among the top 10聽by聽SmartAsset聽for America鈥檚聽Best聽Value聽Public Universities.
University leaders across the state credit collaboration,聽accountability聽and sustained investment for the聽State University聽System鈥檚 success.
U.S. News & World Report聽State Rankings evaluate key metrics, including聽educational attainment, graduation rates,聽affordability聽and federal student loan debt.
