Florida State University’s Board of Trustees approved a $3.22 billion operating budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year on Thursday.
The budget is about 4.5% larger than last year’s spending plan and includes funding for student aid, research, and campus improvements.
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Florida State University approves $3.22 billion budget for 2026-2027 fiscal year
Kyle Clark, Senior Vice President for Finance & Administration, said the increase stands out across the state university system.
“We had the largest increase out of anyone in the state university system, both in terms of operating dollars and in terms of capital dollars. It’s up by around 138 million, which is 4 1/2% over last year.”
More than $300 million is dedicated to financial aid. University leaders noted that nearly 9 out of every 10 full-time undergraduate students received some form of non-loan financial assistance last academic year.
The budget also continues a 13-year stretch of frozen in-state tuition rates for undergraduate and graduate students.
In a statement, President Richard McCullough said the budget will help expand opportunities for students, attract and retain top faculty and staff, and strengthen FSU’s impact across Florida.
The spending plan includes $455 million for capital projects, among them investments in the FSU Health Research Center, student housing, and infrastructure improvements. The budget also includes funding for an additional building at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, pending final approval from Governor Ron DeSantis.
Clark described one of the major housing investments included in the capital plan.
“The northwest housing project that’s about 11 million dollars up and that debt is tied directly to the northwest housing projectit’s 1,200 beds, it’s about a thousand parking spots, and the dining hall accommodations around 800 people all at one time, and so we are proposing this as a solution, turnkey, and we’ve already broken ground on that project.”
University leaders say those investments extend beyond campus. FSU estimates the university generates more than $15 billion annually in economic impact across Florida through research, student spending, and workforce development.
University officials say portions of the budget that rely on state appropriations are still awaiting final approval from Governor Ron DeSantis.
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