by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college 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 Top Florida Colleges ranking is part of that endeavor.
We analyzed 77 colleges and universities across Florida to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found University of Florida to be the best school for overall quality in Florida in this year’s ranking. Located in Gainesville, Florida, the large public school handed out 17,268 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UF go into careers with an average salary of $64,463 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Miami. The school came in at #2 in Florida on this year’s overall quality ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Coral Gables, Florida, and it awarded 6,042 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from U Miami go into careers with an average salary of $67,362 during the early years of their career.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Florida State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Florida. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13,129 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Florida State make an average of $53,449 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rollins College. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Colleges in Florida list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Winter Park, Florida, and it awarded 848 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $53,363 during the early years of their career..
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges in Florida list means University of South Florida - Main Campus is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. USF Tampa is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14,828 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from USF Tampa make an average of $50,262 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of South Florida - Main Campus
Ringling College of Art and Design did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #6. Ringling College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Sarasota, Florida. It awarded 306 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Ringling College make an average of $43,801 per year during the early years of their career.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges in Florida list. Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Daytona Beach, Florida. It awarded 1,551 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach go into careers with an average salary of $77,768 during the early years of their career.
Full Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Report
University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking.
University of Central Florida ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in Florida list.Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 19,318 students in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from UCF make an average of $51,912 a year.
Eckerd College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #10. Eckerd is located in Saint Petersburg, Florida and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 541 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Eckerd make an average of $47,643 a year.
New College of Florida ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges in Florida list. Located in Sarasota, Florida, the small public school handed out 170 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from New College go into careers with an average salary of $43,994 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #12, Stetson University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in DeLand, Florida, and it awarded 1,153 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Stetson make an average of $46,485 per year during the early years of their career.
Florida Southern College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in Florida list. Located in Lakeland, Florida, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 925 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern is $47,123 during the early years of their career.
Jacksonville University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #14. JU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 1,229 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $52,409 during the early years of their career..
University of North Florida landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking. UNF is a fairly large public school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 4,871 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $49,338 during the early years of their career..
Nova Southeastern University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the large private not-for-profit school awarded 6,062 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $53,201 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #17, Florida International University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida list.Miami, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 18,483 students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from FIU is $54,501 during the early years of their career.
Florida Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #18.Melbourne, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,070 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Florida Tech make an average of $63,704 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Florida-Online ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges in Florida list. UF Online is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 857 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UF Online make an average of $64,463 per year during the early years of their career.
Florida College landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking. Located in Temple Terrace, Florida, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 145 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Florida College make an average of $46,968 a year.
With a ranking of #21, The University of Tampa did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida list. Located in Tampa, Florida, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 2,489 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UT is $55,040 during the early years of their career.
Florida Atlantic University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #22.Boca Raton, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 8,628 students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from FAU make an average of $50,478 per year during the early years of their career.
Ave Maria University landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking. AMU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ave Maria, Florida. It awarded 409 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,789 during the early years of their career..
Palm Beach Atlantic University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges in Florida list. Palm Beach Atlantic is a small private not-for-profit school situated in West Palm Beach, Florida. It awarded 790 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Palm Beach Atlantic make an average of $46,413 a year.
Flagler College - St Augustine landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Florida ranking. Located in Saint Augustine, Florida, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 803 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Flagler St. Augustine make an average of $44,970 a year.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
