Why This Matters

  • 120+ COLLEGES IN FLORIDA

    College Navigator indicates that there are 40 public colleges, 54 private non-profit colleges, and 28 private for-profit colleges in the state.

  • $6,370 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    According to College Board, in-state students attending a public, four-year college in Florida paid this amount in the 2021-22 school year.

  • $14,800 IN FINANCIAL AID TO U.S. STUDENTS

    College Board also estimates that in 2020-21, the average U.S. undergraduate student received this amount in total financial aid.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar schools in Florida. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a reputable organization that examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of education programs in the southern United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for on-campus students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Colleges in Florida

Best Colleges In Florida
01
Intelligent Pick
University of Florida
01
Best Film Program
Florida State University
01
Best Campus
University of Miami
01
Best for Continual Improvements
University of South Florida
01
Best for Space Industry
University of Central Florida
01
Most Unique Underwater Research
Florida International University
01
Best Pharmacy Program
Florida A&M University
01
Best Environmental Science Program
Florida Institute of Technology
01
Best for Veterans
University of North Florida
01
Best Urban Planning Program
Florida Atlantic University
01

Nova Southeastern University
01

New College of Florida
01

Rollins College
01

Eckerd College
01

Florida Polytechnic University
01

Flagler College
01

Stetson University
01

Florida Southern College
01

University of Tampa
01

Saint Leo University
01

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Daytona Beach
01

Jacksonville University

 

What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Florida

A major part of choosing your career or the state in which you’ll pursue an education is the potential for employment and career growth. The industry that employs the most people in Florida is trade, transportation, and utilities. This is followed by professional and business services, education and health services, leisure and hospitality, and retail trade.

The fastest-growing career fields in Florida for workers with a bachelor’s degree are in the information and analysis sector, many of which are employed in the hospitality industry. Indeed, the two jobs at this education level that are seeing the most growth are data scientists and information security analysts.

Of the 150 largest employers in the state, job seekers with a bachelor’s degree may be interested in looking for jobs in Palm Beach County Schools, AdventHealth Orlando, Epcot in Disney World, Edelman, or Raymond James.

What’s Next?

Many students’ main concern is how to cover the cost of tuition. The following list includes some helpful state and national resources for securing financial aid in Florida:

  • Florida Department of Education. This department provides students with information regarding state scholarships and grants. Its mission is to facilitate higher education access by providing comprehensive financial aid information about various products available to college students.
  • Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA is the national application for federal funding, which can include the Pell grant, Stafford loans, and other state or national fund sources that are based on the information you list on the FAFSA. Find out if you’re eligible for aid by following this link, or click here to apply.
  • CareerOneStop. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, this website provides prospective students with valuable financial aid information. You can filter this source by degree type and state to find resources for your specific situation.