FAMU combines highly selective admission with exceptional access measures, enrolling 55.6% Pell-eligible students while maintaining strong academic standards. As an Opportunity Builders institution, the university achieves top-tier mobility performance, delivering $1,324 in earnings beyond expectations for graduates from diverse backgrounds.
As modestly below average, driven by moderate earnings relative to educational investment
With above average performance, reflecting moderate costs and manageable debt levels
Among the highest enrollment of Pell-eligible and first-generation students nationally
With top-tier performance, indicating strong economic advancement for low-income students
Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Full AnalysisOpportunity Builders: exceptional access with selective admission
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ranks #169 nationally in Azimuth's composite analysis, with well above average performance at the 89.7th percentile. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this medium-sized public historically black university maintains highly selective admission standards with a 21.1% acceptance rate while delivering strong access outcomes.
FAMU enrolls 55.6% Pell-eligible students and 36.6% first-generation students, placing it among the highest we track for access measures at the 99.5th percentile. Graduates earn $1,324 beyond expectations relative to similar students, ranking at the 61.1st percentile nationally.
Median earnings reach $44,349 ten years after enrollment, placing FAMU modestly below average at the 24th percentile for long-term earnings. This combination of selective admissions, exceptional access, and moderate earnings outcomes places FAMU within the Opportunity Builders quadrant, reflecting institutions that prioritize educational access while maintaining selectivity standards.
FAMU delivers earnings beyond expectations relative to its student demographics and maintains manageable debt levels compared to peer institutions. Graduates earn a median of $44,349 ten years after enrollment, ranking at the 24th percentile nationally, with $1,324 in earnings beyond expectations at the 61.1st percentile.
Earnings span from $27,036 at the 25th percentile to $65,195 at the 75th percentile, reflecting varied career paths across health sciences, business, and liberal arts programs. Median student debt remains below peer institutions at $23,548 compared to a peer median of $21,105, resulting in a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53.
Students seeking strong mobility outcomes and access to health professions, particularly nursing and health sciences. Well-suited for first-generation students and those from lower-income backgrounds who want excellent access with moderate selectivity at a historically black public university.
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University admits approximately 21.1% of applicants, meaning roughly 1 in 5 applicants receives an offer of admission. This places FAMU in the highly selective category, with admission rates between 10-25%.
The peer median admission rate of 84.6% highlights the significant difference between FAMU's selectivity and typical public historically black universities. This level of selectivity means that strong academic credentials are essential for admission consideration.
Even well-qualified students should view FAMU as a competitive option requiring careful application preparation. The university's selective admission standards reflect its academic mission while maintaining commitment to access for underrepresented students.
Students considering FAMU should build comprehensive college lists that include institutions with higher acceptance rates but similar program strengths, particularly in health sciences and business. This selectivity level requires applicants to demonstrate academic preparation through coursework rigor, test scores, and extracurricular engagement.
Treating FAMU as a reach or match school depending on individual qualifications represents sound application strategy for most students.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University's published cost of attendance is $24,047 per year, including $17,725 in out-of-state tuition ($5,785 for Florida residents), $11,644 for room and board, and $1,138 for books and supplies. However, the average student pays just $15,847 after financial aid, representing $8,200 in aid savings from the sticker price.
FAMU's net price falls $1,754 below its peer median of $14,093, positioning the university as slightly more expensive than similar historically black public institutions. The university's financial aid approach creates substantial savings from published prices while maintaining costs at moderate levels.
Net prices vary significantly by family income, ranging from $13,203 for families earning under $30,000 to $21,999 for those earning over $110,000. This $8,796 spread between lowest and highest income tiers demonstrates progressive aid targeting that reduces costs most substantially for lower-income families.
The moderate net price positioning reflects FAMU's public university structure with state funding support, though costs exceed some peer historically black institutions.
FAMU graduates demonstrate steady earnings growth from early to mid-career periods. Median earnings rise from $36,153 six years after enrollment to $42,044 at eight years and $44,349 at ten years, representing 22.7% growth from the six-year mark.
These outcomes reflect a ten-year cohort of 4,166 graduates, providing high confidence in the reported figures across diverse academic programs. Graduates earn $1,324 beyond expectations compared to similar students nationally, placing FAMU at the 61.1st percentile for earnings uplift relative to student demographics.
Low-income graduates achieve $41,700 in median earnings, ranking at the 50th percentile nationally. The earnings distribution spans from $27,036 at the 25th percentile to $65,195 at the 75th percentile, reflecting differences in program choice and career trajectory.
Approximately 26.4% of graduates continue to graduate or professional study, with medium confidence in this estimate based on program mix analysis.
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician.
9 graduates
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing.
82 graduates
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other.
15 graduates
Architectural Design.
37 graduates
Artificial Intelligence.
54 graduates
FAMU offers 17 bachelor's degree programs with sufficient federal earnings data for ranking analysis. Adult Health Nursing ranks #185 nationally and #7 in Florida, producing 82 graduates with median earnings of $69,195 and a value score of 32.8.
Architectural Design ranks #11 nationally and #1 in Florida, graduating 37 students with median earnings of $62,308 and an exceptional value score of 80.4. Health Services/Allied Health ranks #40 nationally and #7 in Florida, serving as the university's largest program with 214 graduates earning $36,452.
Business Administration and Management ranks #237 nationally and #12 in Florida, graduating 136 students with median earnings of $51,873. Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Program ranks #16 nationally and #6 in Florida, reflecting the university's commitment to serving diverse student populations with 164 graduates annually.
Consider these schools with similar outcomes but higher acceptance rates:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Thomas University Higher acceptance rate (22 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 33 miles away; similar graduate earnings | GA | 43% | $49,716 | Compare |
Baptist University Of Florida Higher acceptance rate (43 percentage points higher) and located 81 miles away; similar graduate earnings | FL | 64% | $42,836 | Compare |
Valdosta State University Higher acceptance rate (62.4 percentage points higher) and located 66 miles away; similar graduate earnings | GA | 83% | $49,361 | Compare |
Austin Peay State University Higher acceptance rate (74.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | TN | 96% | $44,301 | Compare |
Columbus State University Higher acceptance rate (78.1 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | GA | 99% | $44,544 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Utah State University Similar quality tier (#168 ranked) | UT | 94% | $54,022 | #168 | Compare |
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This is the Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University hub overview page. For comprehensive institutional data including detailed charts and metrics, visit the full analysis at /school/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university/analysis.
California State University-Monterey Bay Similar quality tier (#166 ranked) | CA | 95% | $59,247 | #166 | Compare |
University Of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Similar quality tier (#171 ranked) | PR | 53% | $35,723 | #171 | Compare |
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Similar quality tier (#173 ranked) | OK | 71% | $57,413 | #173 | Compare |
University Of Nebraska At Omaha Similar quality tier (#164 ranked) | NE | 87% | $53,909 | #164 | Compare |