Excelsior University Opened St. Petersburg Campus
The institution established a new physical site in October 2025 to expand its regional presence.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Distance Learning
Live Poll
Do you believe hybrid college programs effectively prepare students for the modern job market?
Excelsior University opened a new physical campus in St. Petersburg at 9400 4th Street N. in October 2025. The site previously housed a program for Utica University before transitioning to full operations under the new leadership.
Why it matters
The university targeted the St. Petersburg and Tampa area to leverage regional growth and serve a significant veteran population of approximately 850,000 in the corridor. This move aims to provide hybrid educational opportunities tailored to those already living in Florida.
Excelsior University, founded in 1971, operates at 9400 4th Street N. The campus serves a local base of 17,000 alumni residing in Florida.
The players
Excelsior University
This private, non-profit institution is based in Albany, New York, and focuses on providing distance learning and hybrid degree programs.
Utica University
This is a private university that previously operated a program at the 9400 4th Street N. site before the transition to Excelsior University.
The details
The site offers hybrid programs that combine online coursework with classroom, lab, and clinical experience. In January 2026, the location launched a prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, with plans to introduce a doctoral degree in business administration by January 2027.
Timeline
Excelsior University was founded in 1971.
The St. Petersburg campus opened in October 2025.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program launched in January 2026.
Doctoral degree courses are scheduled to begin in January 2027.
Culture Shift
The transition toward hybrid-modality higher education delivery marks a shift where institutions move beyond purely remote models to provide hands-on experience. This allows universities to maintain a national footprint while catering to the specific needs of local student populations.
Students in the St. Petersburg area gain access to hybrid programs that combine online flexibility with necessary local lab and clinical sessions. Prospective nursing students and business professionals can now utilize these facilities for specialized degree tracks.
The takeaway
The expansion reflects a strategic effort to better serve established regional alumni and a large veteran population through localized hybrid education. Students should monitor the campus website for future academic program additions as the university scales its offerings.
What happens next
The university is set to begin offering a doctoral degree program in business administration at the site starting in January 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest trends in Distance Learning.
Source note: This article includes information reported by St Pete Catalyst.
Live Poll
Do you believe hybrid college programs effectively prepare students for the modern job market?
