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Is Florida State University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Florida State, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Affordable
Florida State lands in the affordable band for a typical family. Graduates earn a median of $68,225 ten years after enrolling, and that makes the median debt of $13,000 more manageable than it looks at first glance. For context, Florida State's net price is about 13% above the typical 4-year, public school. On the numbers alone, this school clears the bar comfortably.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$14,903
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $1,749 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $7,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data is workable, but not so strong that it erases financing risk.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$8,605
Median earnings 10 years out
$68,225
Median debt at graduation
$13,000
Graduation rate
86%
At Florida State, a typical graduate carries about $13,000 in student debt and earns roughly $68,225 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $148 per month, or 3% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $38,616 more than the typical working high school graduate in Florida ($29,609) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
85% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Florida ($29,609).
Dance
Bachelor's degree · 22 working graduates counted
$40,892
$11,283 above the benchmark
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor's degree · 151 working graduates counted
$41,067
$11,458 above the benchmark
Anthropology
Bachelor's degree · 40 working graduates counted
$42,791
$13,182 above the benchmark
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor's degree · 76 working graduates counted
$44,115
$14,506 above the benchmark
Music
Bachelor's degree · 75 working graduates counted
$44,454
$14,845 above the benchmark
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Bachelor's degree · 16 working graduates counted
$44,502
$14,893 above the benchmark
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Bachelor's degree · 31 working graduates counted
$46,180
$16,571 above the benchmark
Philosophy
Bachelor's degree · 42 working graduates counted
$47,153
$17,544 above the benchmark
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
Bachelor's degree · 25 working graduates counted
$48,260
$18,651 above the benchmark
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Bachelor's degree · 23 working graduates counted
$50,542
$20,933 above the benchmark
22 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent Florida State University and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
Florida State is a public four year school in Tallahassee, FL. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL
Worth-It Score: 80/100
Median net price: $8,648
Public 4-year
New College of Florida
Sarasota, FL
Worth-It Score: 72/100
Median net price: $8,222
Public 4-year
University of West Florida
Pensacola, FL
Worth-It Score: 69/100
Median net price: $9,443
Public 4-year
Florida Atlantic
Boca Raton, FL
Worth-It Score: 73/100
Median net price: $10,394
Public 4-year
Florida International
Miami, FL
Worth-It Score: 80/100
Median net price: $11,462
Common questions about Florida State
The median net price at Florida State is $8,605 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in Florida? See the most affordable public universities in Florida →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at Florida State in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$8,605a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →