There are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Bachelor's Degree Colleges in Florida ranking is part of that endeavor.
After analyzing 70 schools in Florida, we came up with our list of those that offered the best bachelor's degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Early-Career Salaries Are Higher
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of bachelor's graduates during the early years of their career. A bachelor's degree holder from a school in Florida makes an average starting salary of $38,395, but the students who attended schools in the top 25 of our list make an average of $41,512.
Starting Salary ( 31149 to 45803 )
Average Student Debt
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that students take on while pursuing their bachelor's degree.
When attending a school in Florida, bachelor's degree students accumulate an average of $25,950 in student debt before graduation.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
Other Ranking Factors in Our Methodology
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking.
Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
If you'd rather work on your bachelor's degree in a specific area of the country, you might be interested in our rankings by place. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
University of Florida tops this year’s ranking as the best school for bachelor’s degrees in Florida for overall quality. Located in Gainesville, Florida, the large public school handed out 9,775 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from UF make an average of $38,610 a year. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $17,907 after getting their degree. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $207.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Miami helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Florida. Coral Gables, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,348 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from U Miami is $39,687 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $17,552 in student loans. This translates to an average monthly payment of $530 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida State University. The school came in at #3 in Florida on this year’s best bachelor’s degree schools ranking. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9,735 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $37,655 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $21,576 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $171.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach. The school came in at #4 in Florida on this year’s best bachelor’s degree schools ranking. Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Daytona Beach, Florida. It awarded 1,258 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach is $52,973 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $24,434. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $811.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Florida International University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Florida. Florida International University is a large public school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 13,988 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from FIU is $38,840 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $20,192 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $93 for a 10-year repayment plan.
University of Central Florida landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Located in Orlando, Florida, the large public school awarded 15,189 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $38,476 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $21,777 in student loans. This translates to an average monthly payment of $211 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking, coming in at #7. USF Tampa is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 10,333 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $38,059 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $22,904 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $177 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale ranked #8 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,827 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale go into careers with an average salary of $38,933 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $47,139 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $176.
Valencia College landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Valencia College is a large public school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 643 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Valencia College is $60,750 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $20,358 after getting their degree.
Florida Atlantic University landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking. FAU is a public institution located in Boca Raton, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5,986 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from FAU go into careers with an average salary of $37,398 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $20,659. Average monthly loan payments are around $160 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Nova Southeastern University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. Fort Lauderdale, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,413 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from NUS Florida make an average of $36,975 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $26,749. This translates to an average monthly payment of $405 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Southeastern University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Lakeland, Florida, and it awarded 962 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from SEU is $32,523 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $25,784 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $308.
Florida Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Melbourne, Florida, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 747 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Florida Tech make an average of $50,111 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $33,428 in student loans. This translates to an average monthly payment of $588 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
University of North Florida ranked #14 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. University of North Florida is a fairly large public school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 3,573 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from UNF make an average of $37,620 a year. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $19,875 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $134 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Miami Dade College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. Miami Dade College is a large public school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 1,390 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from MDC is $40,284 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $12,691 in student loans.
Rasmussen University - Florida ranked #16 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. Rasmussen University - Florida is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in Ocala, Florida. It awarded 1,278 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Rasmussen University - Florida is $47,884 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $38,578 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $146 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Broward College landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Broward College is a large public school located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that handed out 742 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from BC make an average of $48,096 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $16,766.
Florida Polytechnic University landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking. This small public school is located in Lakeland, Florida, and it awarded 256 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Florida Poly is $54,616 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $7,167.
Rollins College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Rollins is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Winter Park, Florida. It awarded 679 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Rollins make an average of $34,667 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $27,580 after getting their degree. Average monthly loan payments are around $418 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Florida Gulf Coast University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Located in Fort Myers, Florida, the fairly large public school awarded 2,889 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from FGCU make an average of $37,326 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $20,690 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $201 for a 10-year repayment plan.
With a ranking of #21, The University of Tampa did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. Located in Tampa, Florida, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 2,067 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UT is $33,604 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $25,304 after getting their degree. Average monthly loan payments are around $567 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Florida Southern College did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida ranking, coming in at #22. Florida Southern is located in Lakeland, Florida and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 757 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Florida Southern make an average of $36,565 a year. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $25,342 after getting their degree. Average monthly loan payments are around $469 for a 10-year repayment plan.
With a ranking of #23, Palm Beach State College did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. Located in Lake Worth, Florida, the large public school handed out 481 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Palm Beach State College make an average of $50,542 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $14,424 in student loans.
With a ranking of #24, Saint Leo University did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Saint Leo, Florida, and it awarded 1,705 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from St. Leo University go into careers with an average salary of $37,278 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $32,010 after getting their degree. Average monthly loan payments are around $289 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Jacksonville University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Florida list. JU is located in Jacksonville, Florida and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 737 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from JU make an average of $38,331 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $25,833 in student loans.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.