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 70 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 2025 rankings named University of Florida the best school in Florida in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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% During the early years of their career, graduates from UF make an average of $71,588 a year. A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges in Florida list means Florida State University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Florida State go into careers with an average salary of $61,675 during the early years of their career. The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Florida. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale make an average of $39,696 per year during the early years of their career. Out of the 70 schools in Florida that were part of this year’s ranking, Valencia College landed the #4 spot on the list. During the early years of their career, graduates from Valencia College make an average of $40,594 a year. You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rasmussen University - Florida. The school came in at #5 in Florida on this year’s overall quality ranking. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Rasmussen University - Florida make an average of $39,080 per year during the early years of their career.1
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University of Miami came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Florida ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from U Miami make an average of $75,328 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. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach is $84,131 during the early years of their career. Read full report on Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach With a ranking of #8, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida list. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from USF Tampa is $57,743 during the early years of their career. Florida Institute of Technology ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in Florida list. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Florida Tech make an average of $43,137 per year during the early years of their career. With a ranking of #10, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida list. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $58,308 during the early years of their career..7
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With a ranking of #11, Hillsborough Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from HCC go into careers with an average salary of $40,782 during the early years of their career.
Palm Beach State College landed the #12 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Palm Beach State College make an average of $41,923 per year during the early years of their career. Florida International University landed the #13 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from FIU make an average of $60,249 a year. Nova Southeastern University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #14. During the early years of their career, graduates from NUS Florida make an average of $59,209 a year. Broward College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #15. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,939 during the early years of their career..1213
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Seminole State College of Florida did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #16.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Seminole State make an average of $41,733 a year.
Tallahassee Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges in Florida list. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 Tallahassee Community College make an average of $37,561 per year during the early years of their career. Miami Dade College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Florida ranking. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $40,654 during the early years of their career.. Florida State College at Jacksonville did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #19. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from FSCJ go into careers with an average salary of $42,244 during the early years of their career. Florida SouthWestern State College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Florida ranking. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from FSW go into careers with an average salary of $43,421 during the early years of their career.17181920
Santa Fe College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #21.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Santa Fe College is $41,631 during the early years of their career.
Florida Atlantic University landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from FAU is $56,746 during the early years of their career. St Petersburg College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #23. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from SPC is $42,557 during the early years of their career. Eastern Florida State College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking, coming in at #24. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 EFSC is $37,195 during the early years of their career. Indian River State College landed the #25 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Florida ranking. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Indian River State College make an average of $38,315 per year during the early years of their career.22232425
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.