Best Value Public Health Colleges in Florida

St Petersburg College achieves something remarkable in Florida public health education: graduates earn $42,682 annually while students actually receive money to attend, with a net cost of negative $52. This financial anomaly sits at one end of a cost spectrum that stretches to $36,803 at the University of Miami, creating a $36,855 gap between the most and least expensive programs. Florida's aging population and $91 billion healthcare sector create steady demand for public health professionals, particularly in disease prevention and health policy roles. The University of Florida demonstrates the power of selectivity, accepting just 23% of applicants while maintaining a 91.5% graduation rate. Meanwhile, private institutions like Keiser University command $34,439 in net costs but deliver strong employment outcomes with $37,208 median earnings. The state's lack of income tax means public health graduates keep more of their salaries compared to other states, making even mid-range earning programs financially attractive for long-term career building.

Programs

$-52 – $36,803

Net Price Range

$33,082

Avg. Program Earnings

54.9%

Avg. Graduation Rate

18 Public Health Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	St Petersburg College St. Petersburg, Florida	$-52	$42,682	$2,682	37.5%
2	University of Florida-Online Gainesville, Florida	$4,702	$32,162	$3,876	77.7%	64.6%
3	University of Florida Gainesville, Florida	$6,351	$32,162	$6,381	91.5%	23.4%
4	University of South Florida Tampa, Florida	$10,043	$32,213	$6,410	74.6%	43.9%
5	Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, Florida	$10,319	$26,187	$6,118	56.0%	74.4%
6	Florida National University-Main Campus Hialeah, Florida	$23,629	$28,960	$16,088	28.1%
7	Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, Florida	$34,439	$37,208	$24,136	44.2%	96.5%
8	University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida	$36,803		$59,926	84.2%	18.9%
9	Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, Florida	$31,303		$37,080	64.3%	75.8%
10	Rollins College Winter Park, Florida	$33,847		$58,300	76.9%	50.0%
11	Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida	$10,997		$5,656	83.0%	25.0%
12	Eastern Florida State College Melbourne, Florida	$5,939		$2,496	51.2%
13	The University of Tampa Tampa, Florida	$35,634		$33,424	61.9%	26.4%
14	Rasmussen University-Florida Ocala, Florida	$19,113		$15,117	51.0%
15	Hodges University Fort Myers, Florida	$22,602		$15,580	22.4%
16	Everglades University Boca Raton, Florida	$27,704		$20,768	57.8%	70.4%
17	South University-Tampa Tampa, Florida	$24,280		$18,238	4.5%
18	South University-West Palm Beach Royal Palm Beach, Florida	$20,494		$18,238	21.4%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains St Petersburg College's negative net cost for public health students?

St Petersburg College's negative $52 net cost means students receive more in financial aid than they pay in tuition and fees. The college charges just $2,682 for in-state tuition, and generous federal and state aid packages often exceed this amount. This creates a scenario where students essentially get paid to attend while still achieving strong employment outcomes with $42,682 median earnings.

How do graduation rates correlate with program costs in Florida public health programs?

Higher-cost programs generally deliver better graduation rates, with the University of Florida achieving 91.5% graduation at $6,351 net cost, while St Petersburg College manages 37.5% despite its negative cost. The University of South Florida strikes a middle ground with 74.6% graduation rates at $10,043 net cost. However, Florida Gulf Coast University shows this pattern isn't absolute, achieving 56% graduation at a reasonable $10,319 net cost.

Is the earnings difference between public and private public health programs worth the cost gap?

Private programs cost significantly more but don't always deliver proportionally higher earnings. Keiser University charges $34,439 net cost for $37,208 median earnings, while the University of South Florida costs just $10,043 for nearly identical $32,213 earnings. The $24,396 cost difference would take over 20 years to recover through the small earnings advantage, making public programs the clear financial winner.

Where do Florida public health graduates find the best job opportunities?

Florida's healthcare sector employs over 1.2 million workers, with major opportunities in Tampa, Miami, and Orlando metropolitan areas. The state's large retiree population creates demand for epidemiologists and health policy specialists, while tourism industries need environmental health experts. Counties like Miami-Dade and Hillsborough offer starting salaries 15-20% above state medians for public health roles, making geographic location as important as program choice for career outcomes.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.