Florida State University Sees Record Student Retention

Nearly 6,400 first-year students returned for the spring semester, marking a 99.2% retention rate.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Florida State University achieved a remarkable 99.2% first-year student retention rate for the spring 2026 semester, with nearly 6,400 first-year Seminoles choosing to continue their college journey at FSU. University leaders attribute these historic numbers to deliberate investments in support programs and engagement opportunities designed to keep students connected to campus life and academic success.

Why it matters

Strong student retention rates are a key indicator of an institution's ability to support and engage its student body, leading to higher graduation rates in the future. FSU's achievement highlights the university's commitment to fostering a vibrant campus community and providing the resources students need to thrive.

The details

FSU's first-year student retention rate of 99.2% for the spring 2026 semester represents a significant milestone for the university. Students cited the school's walkable campus, robust community, and strong connections as key factors that led them to return. The university's Dean of Undergraduate Studies, DeOnte Brown, attributed the high retention numbers to intentional investments in student support and engagement programs.

  • Florida State University saw the 99.2% first-year student retention rate in the spring 2026 semester.
  • The university also recently set another record with a 97% first-year retention rate, meaning students who started as first-year students in fall 2025 returned for their second fall semester.

The players

Florida State University

A public research university located in Tallahassee, Florida, known for its strong academic programs and vibrant campus life.

DeOnte Brown

The Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Florida State University, who attributed the high retention rates to the university's investments in student support and engagement programs.

Nicole Web

A Florida State University student who cited the school's close-knit student body and walkable campus as key factors in her decision to return.

Alexa Felipe

A Florida State University student who highlighted the sense of community and proximity to friends as reasons for her continued enrollment at the university.

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What they’re saying

“FSU is a really special college. There are not a lot of campuses that have a student body that's so close. I think, just the fact that everything is so walkable and there's so many events constantly. It makes it so easy to just like make friends and have fun.”

— Nicole Web, Student (WTXL)

“The only time in my life that I'm going to live so close to all my favorite people in the world. I'm friends with my classmates, so it's a very big sense of community here that I can just like walk for five minutes, and then I'm in my best friend's house and then you know we're all together all the time.”

— Alexa Felipe, Student (WTXL)

“The great aspects of FSU is our people. We really believe in the student-to-faculty, students-to-staff connection and support here. I'm so behind every student, there is their success team, and we want to make sure that they are connecting students to academic advising, to undergraduate research opportunities, that they're finding ways to connect with their friends, their faculty members.”

— DeOnte Brown, Dean of Undergraduate Studies (WTXL)

What’s next

University leaders say these historic retention numbers follow deliberate investments in support programs and engagement opportunities designed to keep students connected to campus life and academic success, and they expect these efforts to lead to higher graduation rates in the future.

The takeaway

Florida State University's record-breaking student retention rates demonstrate the university's commitment to fostering a vibrant, supportive campus community that helps students thrive academically and socially. This achievement highlights the importance of strategic investments in student engagement and success programs, which can have a lasting impact on an institution's overall performance and reputation.