Florida International University
Miami, Florida · Public · 54.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 81/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Florida International University (FIU) is a large public research university in Miami, enrolling about 39,508 students. Its ROI score of 81 (Strong Value) is driven by an impressive 68.0% earnings premium over non-college workers, a seven-year payback period, and a median debt of $16,500. Completion rate of 74.4% is strong for a large urban public university. The one structural weakness is the 62.6% repayment rate - below what the earnings picture would predict, likely reflecting a student population carrying federal income-driven repayment plans rather than paying down principal aggressively. Average six-year earnings of $41,500 and median ten-year of $60,249 confirm graduates' upward trajectory.
Florida International University scores in the top 13% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Florida International University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $6,565/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,964/yr |
| Average net price | $9,288/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $37,152 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $60,249 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $175 |
| Estimated payback period | 7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 74.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 39,508 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $6,565/year ($18,964/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $9,288/year, or roughly $37,152 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $7,003/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,200/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,500, which works out to about $175 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($41,500) and comes to 0.40, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,003 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,873 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,925 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,568 |
| $110,001+ | $18,200 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income students (under $30,000) pay $7,003 net. With average six-year earnings of $41,500 and a seven-year payback from the institutional average, low-income FIU graduates in any STEM or health program achieve positive ROI well before their 30th birthday. Florida Bright Futures plus Pell can bring actual out-of-pocket cost to near zero for qualifying students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001 - $75,000 band pays $10,925 net, with a four-year cost around $43,700. This is excellent value at any public research university, and exceptional given Miami's economic opportunities.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $18,200 net - still well under $73,000 for four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Florida International University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $49,470 | C |
| Biology | $46,718 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $90,397 | B+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $71,355 | B |
| Hospitality Administration | $56,667 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $55,830 | C+ |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $35,476 | C |
| International Business | $65,054 | B |
| Marketing | $64,423 | B |
| International Relations | $57,996 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing (216 graduates - a large cohort) earns $78,671 at one year and $98,635 at four, with $18,895 median debt and a 0.24 ratio - an A grade. FIU's net price is $9,288. Miami's massive healthcare sector - Jackson Health System, Baptist Health, UHealth - absorbs FIU BSN graduates at competitive rates. This is FIU's flagship ROI program.
Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering (119 graduates) earns $75,210 at one year and $101,224 at four, with $18,948 median debt and a 0.25 ratio - B+ grade. At under $19,000 in debt, FIU CE graduates leave with a strong debt-to-four-year-earnings ratio. Miami's tech ecosystem - Citrix, Carnival's digital teams, and a wave of tech company relocations - increasingly absorbs CE talent locally.
Construction Engineering Technology
Construction Engineering Technology (70 graduates) earns $73,602 at one year and $99,471 at four - remarkably strong for a technology track. The 0.30 ratio and B+ grade reflect both earnings strength and modest debt. FIU's location is a structural employment advantage for this program.
Computer and Information Sciences
CIS is FIU's largest tech program by graduate count (701 reported). Graduates earn $62,562 at one year and $90,397 at four years, with $19,999 median debt and a 0.32 ratio (B+). At 701 graduates, FIU is producing tech talent at scale, feeding Miami's growing startup ecosystem, fintech sector, and global corporate tech hubs. The cost-to-outcome ratio makes FIU CIS a strong technology investment.
International Business
International Business (476 graduates) earns $45,661 at one year and $65,054 at four, with $17,750 median debt and a 0.39 ratio (B grade). Miami's role as the capital of U.S.-Latin American trade makes FIU IB graduates uniquely positioned in a way no other U.S. institution can replicate at this price point.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 57.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 62.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 66.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Florida International University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 54.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 520-620 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 550-640 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-27 |
| Enrollment | 39,508 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,817 |
FIU admits 54.7% of applicants. SAT mid-range is 520 - 620 (math) and 550 - 640 (reading); ACT 21 - 27. This is a real threshold; students below the mid-range should assess their competitiveness. Florida's Bright Futures scholarship is a key financial driver for in-state students - maintaining the GPA and service requirements to qualify significantly reduces already-low net costs.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida International University (this school) | 81 | $9,288 | $60,249 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 89 | $24,953 | $81,698 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 83 | $24,406 | $74,479 |
| University of Central Florida | 79 | $10,411 | $58,308 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | 77 | $17,339 | $60,409 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 28 | $13,739 | $44,349 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Florida International University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
FIU suits students - especially Miami-area residents - who want a research university education at public university prices, with Miami's global business environment as a backdrop. Engineering, nursing, computer science, and international business students get exceptional value. Students interested in hospitality management, architecture, or the performing arts should verify program rankings and employer connections before assuming the FIU brand translates equally across all disciplines. FIU's 41.4% Pell rate means it genuinely serves lower- and middle-income families alongside more affluent Miami professionals.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Florida International University pays off. You'd pay about $9,288 a year after aid ($37,152 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $60,249 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 7 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 74.4% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 62.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $16,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $41,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Florida International University: Common Questions
Is Florida International University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Florida International University pays off. It scores 81/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $9,288 a year after aid ($37,152 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $60,249 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 7 years to earn back.
How much does Florida International University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $9,288 a year, or roughly $37,152 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Florida International University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $60,249 ten years after enrolling, roughly $18,449 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Florida International University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 7 years for Florida International University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Florida International University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,500, against average earnings of $41,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Florida International University?
The six-year graduation rate is 74.4%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.