What Verdica's 757 score means for The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa's composite score of 757 places it in the "strong" band (740–799), indicating a well-regulated institution with solid compliance standing and accreditation status. This score reflects performance across three regulatory dimensions: accreditation, student outcomes, and Title IV compliance monitoring. A score in this range suggests the institution meets baseline federal and state requirements and maintains institutional stability. Readers should interpret this as a provider with above-average regulatory standing, though not in the highest excellence tier (800–850). For prospective students, employers, or partner organizations, this score indicates manageable risk and consistent oversight by federal and regional bodies.
How the sub-scores break down
Accreditation: 845 (excellent). This sub-score reflects the institution's accreditation status as reported to federal databases. A score of 845 indicates the University of Tampa holds valid regional or national accreditation and has no known sanctions, loss of accreditation, or pending review actions that would lower confidence. Accreditation is the primary gate for federal student aid eligibility and public legitimacy in higher education.
Student Outcomes: 605 (elevated). This sub-score derives from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) metrics such as graduation rates, retention rates, and employment outcomes. A score of 605 falls in the "elevated" band, suggesting outcomes that are below the composite average but not critically low. This typically indicates room for improvement in degree completion, first-year persistence, or post-graduation employment tracking. For prospective students, this signals the need to review specific program-level outcomes rather than assuming universal success rates.
Compliance: 830 (excellent). This sub-score measures adherence to Title IV federal aid regulations, financial reporting accuracy, and audit findings reported to the Department of Education. A score of 830 reflects few or no material compliance violations, timely reporting, and clean audit results. Institutions in this range pose minimal risk of aid program suspension or enrollment penalties.
What regulators in FL track for education providers
Florida's education oversight involves three main regulatory mechanisms that feed Verdica's scoring:
Accreditation Status: Accrediting bodies (typically the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges for regional accreditation) review institutional governance, financial stability, and educational quality on a cyclical basis. Loss of accreditation, probation, or show-cause orders—all flagged in federal records—directly reduce accreditation scores.
Title IV Compliance: The U.S. Department of Education monitors whether institutions correctly distribute and account for federal student aid funds. Key metrics include Cohort Default Rates (CDR), which track the percentage of federal loan borrowers entering repayment who default within three years. Institutions with CDRs above 30% face aid suspension. Other tracked violations include misreporting of program information, failure to verify student eligibility, or audit findings. High compliance scores indicate clean audit histories and accurate reporting.
IPEDS Data: Institutions submit annual data on enrollment, degrees awarded, graduation rates, and finances. These metrics inform public accountability and allow peer comparison. While IPEDS itself does not issue compliance findings, repeated underperformance in graduation or retention rates may trigger accreditor review. Verdica uses this data to score student outcomes.
Florida does not separately license higher education institutions beyond accreditation; oversight is primarily federal. However, Florida's state approval process and Board of Governors monitoring add an additional layer for state university system members.
Bottom line
The University of Tampa's score of 757 indicates a strong, well-regulated institution with excellent accreditation and compliance standing, though student outcome metrics warrant closer inspection before enrollment or partnership decisions. Prospective students and employers should review program-specific graduation and employment data to ensure alignment with individual goals, as the "elevated" outcomes sub-score suggests variability across offerings.