Florida International University

Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is an R1 public institution of over 54,000 students, 45,000 of whom are undergraduates, making it one of the largest universities in the country in terms of student body. To be fair, FIU offers in-person, hybrid, and fully online degrees, so the university doesn’t feel as big as it sounds. The main campus, which I visited, is 342 acres, and it’s gorgeous: beautifully landscaped and full of architecturally interesting, modern buildings and sculptures. The 40-acre Engineering Center is a 2-minute shuttle ride away. The US News & World Report ranks it a top 20 Most Innovative Public University, and #1 for Social Mobility: Pell-eligible students make up more than half of the student body. Additionally, the Wall Street Journal ranks it the #1 university in Florida. Let’s find out why.

FIU has11 colleges and schools including an honors college, a law school with the second highest rate of passing the bar in Florida, and a medical school. US News and World Report ranks the undergraduate international business program #3 in the US, and the international MBA program at #5. To be admitted into the honors college, an incoming student must have at least a 3.5 GPA. However, all students with at least a 3.5 after freshmen year are also invited. Business is a very popular major, but some other interesting offerings include Behavioral Neuroscience, Geoinformatics, Atmospheric Sciences, Marine Biology, Digital Communication and Media, Construction Management, Hospitality and Tourism, Public Policy and Service, as well as robust BFA and Bachelor of Music programs.

Over 6000 students live on campus, and they’ve just built a gorgeous new residence hall for upperclassmen. They’re also building another one three times larger, which is opening in 2027. Greek life is big deal here, with over 45 fraternities and sororities, but no houses on campus. Rush happens in the fall. Sports are also big here, with 17 Division One teams. We were told that the basketball, soccer, and football games are well attended.

On our tour, someone from the career center introduced herself to us and told us how much she loves working with FIU students, and that she treats them as if they were her own children. Frankly, that was really great. Here’s the icing on the cake: The all-in price for out-of-state students is under $35,000 per year, with merit scholarships up to $6,000. That sounds like an unbelievable value to me! I think that FIU is an under-appreciated institution that you need to see for yourself!