University of Miami

Admission to the University of Miami has become highly selective, while its institutional standing has rebounded in recent national evaluations. In the 2027 U.S. News rankings, the university placed 55th among national universities, recovering from 67th in 2024. Gaining entry requires navigating an increasingly competitive applicant pool, reflected in an overall acceptance rate of 18.9% for 2025. This selectivity is notably sharper than that of its peer group of similarly ranked private comprehensive universities, where the median acceptance rate was 40.3%. However, the university faces meaningful competition when converting offers into matriculation. Its enrollment yield rate was 24.3% in 2025, showing that fewer than a quarter of admitted students chose to enroll. For prospective applicants, this combination indicates that while earning admission has grown significantly tougher, Miami still contends with rival institutions for top-tier candidates. Applicants must build compelling applications to clear the selective threshold, though the modest yield suggests that admitted students frequently compare financial packages and campus offerings across multiple elite private options before deciding.

Admission to the University of Miami requires solid academic records. In 2025, the institution reported an SAT midpoint of 1400, which is higher than 21 percent of peer schools among 30 similar-ranked private research universities. Most admitted high schoolers present grades in the upper ranges, with nearly half of incoming students reporting high school grade point averages between three-point-seven-five and four-point-zero. Standardized test submission rates have shifted over time, with approximately one-third of freshmen submitting SAT scores and under one-fifth submitting ACT results. For international candidates evaluating their chances, unofficial applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway reveal an admitted median unweighted GPA of 3.76 and a median SAT score of 1320. To build a compelling application, students should target high school grades and standardized testing marks that align closely with these institutional figures.

Undergraduate degree choices at the University of Miami emphasize commerce and healthcare, though student enrollment only partially mirrors the institution's highest-ranked academic programs. Degrees are moderately distributed across diverse disciplines rather than heavily concentrated, with the top three undergraduate programs accounting for 23.4% of all bachelor's degrees awarded in 2025. The single largest bachelor's major was Finance, General, producing 372 graduates, followed closely by Registered Nursing and Psychology. The university's highest national accolades belong to professional and specialized areas: U.S. News ranked the medical school 2nd in research in 2026, while the undergraduate real estate program achieved a rank of 12th in 2027. Healthcare fields also provide outstanding initial financial returns. According to 2023 earnings data, nursing graduates secured median earnings of $87,777 one year after graduation, leading all undergraduate fields. For prospective undergraduates, these patterns suggest that while finance draws the largest student volume, nursing and specialized business fields offer some of Miami's most distinctive combinations of national prestige and early career compensation.

The student body at the University of Miami features a mix of domestic and international scholars, with total campus enrollment reaching 19,852 students in 2025. Undergraduates make up the largest portion of the campus, led by female students who represent a clear majority across all academic divisions. Among the incoming first-year class, international students accounted for 7.2% of new enrollments, bringing diverse global perspectives to residence halls and lecture rooms. Asian students comprised 4.9% of entering freshmen, reflecting steady domestic representation alongside substantial Hispanic and White cohorts that anchor undergraduate student life. At the graduate level, the student population becomes noticeably more global in scope. Graduate programs enrolled 1,109 international students in 2025, where advanced degree candidates form critical research partnerships in business, engineering, and the health sciences. For prospective applicants, Miami provides a comprehensive university setting where students learn alongside peers from across the country and around the globe.

The University of Miami is defined by a traditional college-age undergraduate community and an early-career graduate cohort. In 2025, students aged 20 to 21 formed the largest undergraduate group at 46.4 percent, while those aged 18 to 19 represented 38.4 percent. Older undergraduates are relatively rare, indicating that full-time study immediately following secondary education is the norm. In contrast, the graduate student population is centered around young adults continuing their training, with students aged 25 to 29 making up 35.8 percent and those aged 22 to 24 comprising 34.6 percent. For prospective students, this profile means undergraduate campus life is tailored to traditional college students navigating their late teens and early twenties, while master's and doctoral programs bring together peers with recent degrees and early professional training.

International enrollment patterns at the University of Miami diverge sharply between degree levels, with undergraduate numbers contracting while graduate study remains globally focused. At the undergraduate level, international representation declined over the past decade, with the international share dropping to 7.9% in 2025. Despite this downward trend, international scholars maintain a visible presence across campus. At the graduate level, international enrollment has remained numerically stable, though international scholars represent a far larger slice of advanced degrees. Among 2025 degree recipients, international students accounted for 20.5% of all master's graduates, showing strong concentrations in quantitative and technical disciplines. Most notably, international candidates made up 50% of master's degree recipients in Financial Mathematics, alongside high representation in doctoral engineering programs. At the undergraduate level, international graduates concentrate primarily in finance and marketing. For prospective international students, these figures highlight that graduate business and technical programs offer especially well-established global student communities.

Applicants considering the University of Miami can explore several other four-year institutions within Florida. Just 6.4 kilometers away in the Miami area sits Florida International University, a public national university ranked 100th in the 2027 US News rankings. Located 25 kilometers to the north, Nova Southeastern University is a private national university ranked 250th. Further north along the coast, Florida Atlantic University is situated 46.3 kilometers away and holds a rank of 191st. For families willing to look further into central Florida, the University of Central Florida in Orlando is located 207 kilometers away and holds a national university ranking of 121st.

Campus safety at the University of Miami is largely characterized by policy enforcement rather than high rates of violent crime. In 2025, the university registered a crime rate per 1,000 students of 3.4 under Forward Pathway's weighted evaluation. Looking across the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, disciplinary infractions made up the primary share of campus incidents. Disciplinary referrals for alcohol violations were the most common issue, totaling 406 incidents across those years, alongside 169 disciplinary referrals for drug violations. Among property crimes, motor vehicle theft stood as the most frequent occurrence, with 64 reports over that same time frame. Violent offenses and serious property crimes occurred at much lower levels. For families and incoming students evaluating campus security, the environment reflects a campus where security activity centers primarily on residential alcohol and drug policy oversight rather than widespread criminal risks.