Regional university
#4 Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in FloridaUniversity of West Florida
Pensacola, FL · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid About $9,000 a year
Median debt at graduation: $16,624 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in America#36 of 292
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#169 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#129 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#205 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#246 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#264 of 1,132
In Florida
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.59%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.89%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,138 · ACT 23.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.22 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$6,911
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average paid by families who received aid, by income. Families who get no aid pay the full cost of attendance: $19,947 a year.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 9,661 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 43% · Women 57% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 36% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 10% |
| Total students | 14,371 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | About $9,000 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $19,947 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $16,624 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 59% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 46% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 45% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 53% |
| First-year retention | 89% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $49,137 |
| Admission rate | 58% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $30 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,257 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 33% |
| Average SAT | 1138 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 520–630 |
| SAT math | 500–600 |
| ACT composite | 20–27 |
| Test policy | Required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 10% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Electrical engineering | |
| Nursing | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Business administration | |
| Business (general) | |
| Finance | |
| Clinical laboratory science | |
| Health sciences | |
| Communication studies | |
| Accounting | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Secondary education | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Biology | |
| Special education | |
| Social sciences | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Social work | |
| Paralegal studies | |
| Psychology | |
| International relations | |
| History | |
| Fine arts | |
| Hospitality management | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Anthropology, Biological and physical sciences, Chemistry, Computer engineering, Computer science, Construction Engineering Technology/Technician, Counseling and mental health, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Economics, Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General studies, Geology and earth science, Information technology, Instructional design, Liberal arts, Management information systems, Managerial economics, Maritime Studies, Marketing, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Music, Other social sciences, Philosophy, Physics, Political science, Public health, Teacher education, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Psychology | |
| Biology | |
| Computer and information sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Rural |
| Part-time undergraduates | 28% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 26% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,432 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Gulf South Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 22 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 100%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $9,380IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 16% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Pensacola International Airport (PNS)About 6 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Town population | 54,036Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | New OrleansAbout 166 miles away · about 3 hours 35 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 52°F in January · 83°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Pensacola 7 Nne, FL |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is University of West Florida’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 28% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does University of West Florida cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is about $9,000 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into University of West Florida?
- University of West Florida admitted 58% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of West Florida’s graduates do?
- 59% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $49,137; the median federal debt at graduation is $16,624.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 138354
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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