Best Colleges in Florida 2026

Florida's higher education landscape offers students 56 qualifying institutions ranging from large public research universities to specialized private colleges. The top-ranked schools excel through strong graduation rates, competitive admissions standards, and solid return on investment for graduates. Public universities dominate the rankings, claiming four of the top five spots, with the University of Florida leading as the state's flagship institution. When evaluating Florida colleges, students should prioritize factors like program strength in their intended major, campus resources, location preferences, and total cost of attendance. The state's diverse offerings ensure options for various academic interests, from engineering and business to liberal arts, making thorough research essential for finding the right institutional fit.

Schools Ranked

$55,400

Avg. Earnings

71.3%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Graduation Rate	Median Earnings	Acceptance Rate	In-State Tuition
1	University of Florida Gainesville, Florida	91.5%	$71,588	23.4%	$6,381
2	Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida	83.0%	$61,675	25.0%	$5,656
3	University of Florida-Online Gainesville, Florida	77.7%	$71,588	64.6%	$3,876
4	University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida	75.1%	$58,308	41.0%	$6,368
5	Key College Fort Lauderdale, Florida	100.0%	$42,267		$9,285
6	University of South Florida Tampa, Florida	74.6%	$57,743	43.9%	$6,410
7	West Coast University-Miami Doral, Florida	50.0%	$102,672		$23,691
8	Florida International University Miami, Florida	73.9%	$60,249	63.9%	$6,565
9	University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida	84.2%	$75,328	18.9%	$59,926
10	City College-Altamonte Springs Altamonte Springs, Florida	75.0%	$35,994	19.2%	$18,615
11	Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay Saint Petersburg, Florida	64.5%	$61,480		$16,400
12	Taylor College Ocala, Florida	61.9%	$60,311		$13,263
13	University of West Florida Pensacola, Florida	61.8%	$49,137	48.0%	$6,360
14	CBT Technology Institute-Hialeah Hialeah, Florida	88.9%	$29,534		$13,150
15	University of North Florida Jacksonville, Florida	68.2%	$56,343	70.5%	$6,389
16	CBT Technology Institute-Main Campus Miami, Florida	87.4%	$29,534		$13,150
17	University of Fort Lauderdale Lauderhill, Florida	75.0%	$38,062		$9,810
18	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, Florida	51.9%	$44,349	32.9%	$5,785
19	The University of Tampa Tampa, Florida	61.9%	$59,436	26.4%	$33,424
20	City College-Hollywood Hollywood, Florida	83.3%	$34,938		$18,615
21	AdventHealth University Orlando, Florida	35.6%	$72,282	33.7%	$20,880
22	Chipola College Marianna, Florida	61.3%	$37,378		$3,120
23	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, Florida	67.4%	$84,131	64.5%	$42,304
24	Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida	64.3%	$56,746	81.3%	$4,879
25	North Florida College Madison, Florida	63.5%	$33,929		$3,054