EDUCATION

Tampa Bay is home to nearly 80 colleges, universities and technical schools, training the students of today to meet the job demands of tomorrow. U.S. News and World Report routinely names Florida the #1 Best State for Higher Education. 

More than 175,000 students attend one of the numerous, distinguished educational institutions in the Tampa Bay area. That figure swells to over 340,000 when including the larger Central Florida region with Florida Polytechnic University, University of Central Florida and University of Florida.

The University of South Florida has reached a historic milestone by accepting an invitation to join the Association of American Universities (AAU), a prestigious group of the 71 leading research institutions in the United States and Canada. USF is the first public university in Florida to be invited to join the AAU in nearly 40 years and is now one of two institutions from the State University System of Florida to serve as an AAU member.

More than 49,000 students were enrolled at USF’s three regional campuses in the 2022-2023 school year representing more than 146 different countries. The university offers more than 90 undergraduate majors and more than 150 degree programs at the graduate, specialist, and doctorate levels in fields ranging from cybersecurity to marketing and international business to medicine. 

Hillsborough Community College is one of the nation’s leading two-year institutions developing programs to most immediately respond to local workforce gaps. HCC operates five campuses near major employment centers throughout the county serving more than 42,000 students each year. Associate degree tracks, post secondary training and certificate programs offered include architecture and building trades, accounting and business, information technology, and health and medical.

The University of Tampa, a private, four-year institution that has earned a spot on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Colleges, has more than 200 academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. As of the fall 2022 semester, the UT campus had more than 10,500 students enrolled, representing all 50 states and most of the world’s countries. Areas of study include international business, finance, communication and nursing.

USF Health Morsani College of Medicine – The University of South Florida has transformed a community medical school, established by the Florida Legislature in 1965, into a major academic medical center known statewide and nationally for its innovative curriculum with an emphasis on improving health through interprofessional education, research and clinical activities. Specially designed programs are available, including combined MD/MBA, MD/MPH, DPT/MPH programs and an Honors Research program. To meet the growing demand for a workforce skilled in science and technology, the college provides a wide range of master’s degrees and graduate certificates in emerging fields, such as biotechnology, bioinformatics, and metabolic and nutritional medicine.

Ultimate Medical Academy is a nonprofit healthcare educational institution with a national presence. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida and founded in 1994, the school has more than 40,000 alumni and offers content-rich, interactive online courses to more than 15,000 students as well as hands-on training to hundreds of students. UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

St. Leo University offers more than 60 major and minor programs to more than 18,000 students. St. Leo has been ranked one of the Top Universities in the South for multiple years by U.S. News and World Report, as well as a Best College for Veterans. Its Tampa Education Center serves as a support center for online students throughout the world.

Florida Polytechnic University is the nation’s leading institution of change, engineered from the ground up to push the boundaries of education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Florida Poly has about 1,500 undergraduate and graduate students and offers more than 31 programs of study. The University is the only state university in Florida dedicated exclusively to STEM education.

Schiller International University is a globally recognized university with campuses in Madrid, Paris, Heidelberg, and Tampa. The University is accredited in the US and in Europe, providing students with a truly global experience. A learning-by-living education that enables them to learn immersed in multiple international realities, obtain an accredited degree in future-oriented areas, and create a personalized path to become world-smart professionals.

Tampa Ranks #5 College City in the nation

WalletHub, 2022

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Campaign aims to generate awareness about short-term training opportunities for in-demand jobs among residents of underserved communities.

USF joins the prestigious AAU

The University of South Florida has reached a historic milestone by accepting an invitation to join the Association of American Universities (AAU).

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