For the eighth consecutive year, five universities in the State University System of Florida have been included in the Top 100 Worldwide Universities List by the National Academy of Inventors. The list, established at the University of South Florida, recognizes institutions based on the number of utility patents granted during 2024.
The rankings for these Florida universities saw improvements for four institutions and stability for one compared to last year. The University of Florida maintained its position at 13th place. The University of South Florida moved up to 26th from 34th, while the University of Central Florida rose to 34th from 52nd. Florida International University advanced to 42nd from 57th, and Florida State University climbed to 55th from 90th.
Chancellor Rodrigues of the State University System commented on the achievement: “This achievement recognizes the real-world impact of administrators, faculty, and students who are focused on innovation and not indoctrination. Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature have recently invested more than $200M to recruit and retain top-tier faculty; this is just another example of how Florida’s efforts are paying off,” said Chancellor Rodrigues of the State University System. “These rankings show our System’s commitment to invention, research, and innovation, which leads to increased commercialization for our local communities, our state, and the nation.”
The National Academy of Inventors bases its rankings on data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The methodology considers only utility patents granted within a given calendar year and defines a university as an institution that offers undergraduate degrees. It is noted that patent numbers do not necessarily reflect technology value or commercial success.
The full Top 100 Worldwide Universities List can be accessed at https://academyofinventors.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2024-Top-100-US-Universities.pdf.
