Top Colleges in Florida Launching Great Careers
Whether you are looking to earn your first career or have a career change, these schools in Florida can help give you the skills and connections necessary to reach your goals. Florida has a wealth of colleges and universities located across the entire state. In addition to public universities, there are also plentiful private institutions. Many of the top colleges in Florida rank high nationally. We have chose our list of top colleges based on the following.
- Accolades – To help show the klout of the universities we looked at the amount of awards and accreditation given to the schools from renown rating organizations.
- Career opportunities – To help show career opportunities, we viewed many student alumni are graduating with degrees that can lead to fruitful careers and if alumni were working for successful companies.
- Enrollment Statistics – To help show the selectivity and student intelligence level of the college we analyzed what is the acceptance criteria was of the school.
- Tuition vs. Education – To help view the ROI of the school we analyzed costs vs quality of education given to the students.
#1: University of Florida
201 Criser Hall, Gainsville, FL
2014 Statistics on University of Florida
Accolades:
- #74 nationally; Forbes 2013
- #49 in national universities; US News 2014
- #14 top public school; US News 2014
- #41 Best Business school; US News 2014
Career Opportunities
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where University of Florida alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Students enrolled; 49,913
- Acceptance rate; 44.1%
- SAT composite score; 1170 to 1360
- Enrollment level; Selective
Tuition vs Education:
- Avg in-state tuition; $6,270
- Avg out-of-state tuition; $28,548
- Avg room-and board costs; $9,520
- Student-to-faculty ratio; 21:1
- Freshman retention rate; 96%
- Graduation rate; 64%
- Popular programs;
- Social science
- Business
- Engineering
- Biology
- Degrees issues; Certificates, associates, bachelors, masters, PHD
- Students with financial aid; 60%
- Students with scholarships or grants; 37%
Designation:
Public
About:
Chosen because of its high graduation rate, quality of education, and diverse program offerings, the University of Florida offers hundreds of degree programs, including business, liberal arts, health sciences and engineering.
#2: University of Miami
PO Box 248025, Coral Gables, FL, 331242014 Statistics on University of Miami
Accolades:
- #124 nationally; Forbes 2013
- #47 national universities; US News, 2014
- #51 best education school; US News, 2014
- #9 best physical therapy program; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities:
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where University of Miami alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Students enrolled; 16, 172
- Acceptance rate; 39.7 percent
- SAT composite scores; 1230 to 1420
- Enrollment level; Very selective
Tuition vs Education:
- Average tuition: $41,580
- Average room and board fees: $12,314
- Student-to-faculty ratio; 11:1
- Freshman retention rate; 91%
- Graduation rate; 69%
- Popular programs;
- Business
- Biology
- Social science
- Communication
- Health
- Degrees offered; Certificates, bachelors, masters, PHD
- Percent of students with scholarships or grants; 45.2%
- Percent of students with received financial aid; 38.2%
Designation:
Private
About:
University of Miami has a high concentration of gifted students and is very generous when it comes to helping students with financial costs. This school is known for offering enriched learning environments for its students and offers a wide variety of programs to choose from especially its marine biology program as well as business, nursing and medicine programs.
#3: Rollins College
1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, FL, 32789
Source: Rollins College Flickr
2014 Statistics on Rollins College, Winter Park
Accolades:
- #187 among private colleges; Forbes 2013
- #1 regional universities in the south; US News, 2014
- #7 best undergraduate teaching programs; US News, 2014
- #4 best value schools; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities:
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where Rollins College alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Total enrollment; 2,459
- Acceptance rate; 56%
- SAT composite scores; 1090 to 1280
- Student to faculty ratio; 10:1
- Enrollment level; Selective
Tuition vs Education:
- Avg tuition fees; $41,460
- Room and board fees; $12,960
- Graduation rate; 62%
- Popular programs;
- Social science
- Communication
- Psychology
- Business
- Visual and performing arts
- Degrees offered; Bachelors, masters
- Students who accept financial aid; 56.6%
- Students who accept scholarships or grant aid; 56.2%
Designation:
Private
About:
Located 10 miles from Orlando, this liberal arts school, Rollins College, attracts students interested in international relations and international business degrees. This school was chosen primarily due to its high scholarship and grant percentage, education quality, and the amazing companies it’s alumni have gone to, like Walt Disney.
#4: Florida State University
222 Criser Hall, Tallahassee, Fl, 32036
Source: Flickr StuSteeger
2014 Statistics on Florida State University
Accolades:
- 41st in Southern colleges; Forbes 2013
- #91 in national universities; US News, 2014
- #40 top public school; US News, 2014
- #39 best education school; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities:
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where Florida State University alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment Information:
- Total enrollment; 40,695
- Student to faculty ratio; 26:1
- SAT composite scores; 1120 to 1280
- Enrollment level; More selective
Tuition vs Education Information:
- In-state tuition & fees; $6,537
- Out-of-state tuition and fees; $21,703
- Graduation rate; 53%
- Room and board fees; $9,912
- Popular programs;
- Criminal justice
- Literature/English
- Finance
- Psychology
- Degrees offered; Certificate, associate, bachelors, masters, PHD
- Students with scholarships or grants; 29%
- Students with financial aid; 49%
Designation:
Public
About:
Florida State University is the flagship school of the Florida state system and offers nearly 300 degree programs, including strong science and liberal arts programs. This university was chosen because of its wide program offerings and prestigious companies that alumni tend to work at.
#5: Florida Institute of Technology
150 W. Unversity Blvd., Melbourne, FL, 32901
2014 Statistics on Florida Institute of Technology
Accolades:
- # 76 in Southern colleges; Forbes 2013
- #167 in National Universities; US News, 2014
- #39 best colleges for veterans; US News, 2014
- #48 best online bachelor programs; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities:
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where Florida Institute of Technology alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Total enrollment; 5384
- Acceptance rate; 59.1%
- SAT composite score; 1040 to 1250
Tuition vs Education:
- Tuition and fees; $37,240
- Room and boards; $12,470
- Graduation rate; 37%
- Student-to-faculty ratio; 9:1
- Freshman retention; 77%
- Popular programs;
- Aerospace engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Biology
- Degrees offered; bachelors, masters, doctorate
- Students with scholarships or grants; 57.7
- Students with financial aid; 57.5%
Designation:
Private
About:
Founded for advanced education of NASA scientists, FIT offers 70 undergraduate programs and is known for science and engineering. This school was chosen primarily for its financial assistance opportunities, online program offerings, it’s engineering programs which offer the potential for high career salaries, and focus on aiding military and veterans through their college experience.
#6: University of South Florida – St Petersburg
140 Seventh Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL, 337012014 Statistics on University of South Florida – St. Petersburg
Accolades:
- #80 regional universities in the south; US News, 2014
- #38 top public schools; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities;
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where Florida Institute of Technology alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Total Enrollment; 161,000
- Enrollment rate; 45.84%
- SAT composite score; 1050 to 1240
- Enrollment level; Selective
Tuition vs. Education:
- In-state tuition; $5,716
- Out-of-state tuition; $15,638
- Student-to-faculty ratio; 21:1
- Graduation rate; 15%
- Popular programs;
- Accounting
- Business
- Finance
- Psychology
- Education
- Degrees offered; Bachelor’s, master’s
- Students with financial aid; 70.1%
- Students with grants or scholarships; 40.6%
Designation:
Public
About:
The University of South Florida St. Petersburg offers distinctive graduate and undergraduate programs in the arts and sciences, business, and education.
#7: University of Central Florida
4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Orlando, FL 328162014 Statistics on University of Central Florida
Accolades:
- #88 in Southern colleges; Forbes, 2013
- #170 national universities; US News, 2014
- #14 up-and-coming schools; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities:
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where Florida Institute of Technology alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Total Enrolled; 59,767
- Acceptance rate; 46%
- SAT composite scores; 1080 to 1280
- Student-to-faculty ratio; 32:1
- Enrollment level; Selective
Tuition vs. Education:
- Avg in-state tuition; $6,317
- Avg out-of-state tuition; $22, 415
- Avg room and board fees; $9,394
- Freshman retention rate; 87%
- Graduation rate; 35%
- Popular programs;
- Business
- Healthcare
- Psychology
- Engineering
- Education
- Degrees offered; Certificate, associate, bachelors, masters, PHD
- Students with financial aid; 76.5%
- Students with scholarships or grants; 43.9
Designation:
Public
About:
First established as a training center for the Kennedy Space Center, UCF is considered an “up-and-coming” school by U.S. News. This school is know for being one of the largest schools in Florida and offering a wide variety of program offerings.
#8: New College of Florida
5800 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, FL, 342432014 Statistics on New College of Florida
Accolades:
- #66 in Southern colleges; Forbes 2013
- #89 for liberal arts programs; US News, 2014
- #5 for top public schools; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities:
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where New College of Florida alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Undergraduate enrollment; 832
- Acceptance rate; 60%
- SAT composite scores; 1190 to 1410
- Student-to-faculty ratio; 10:1
- Enrollment level; More selective
Tuition vs Education:
- In-state tuition; $6,783
- Out-of-state tuition; $29,812
- Room and boards; $8,856
- Graduation rate; 56%
- Freshman retention; 84%
- Popular programs;
- Liberal arts
- Humanities
- Degrees offered; Bachelors
- Students with financial aid; 58.2%
- Students with grants or scholarships; 57.7%
Designation:
Public
About:
New College of Florida is a liberal arts honors school that emphasizes independent study with student-designed curricula and written evaluations rather than grades. It is a great jumping off point for students interested in getting into an education career. This school was primarily chosen for its academic quality and retention rate.
#9: Stetson University
421 N. Woodland Boulevard, DeLand, FL 327232014 Statistics on Stetson University
Accolades:
- #67 in Southern colleges; Forbes, 2013
- #5 in regional universities; US News, 2014
- #5 best value schools; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities:
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where Stetson University alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Total enrollment; 3,961
- Acceptance rate; 60%
- SAT composite score; 1055 to 1260
- Student-to-faculty ratio; 12:1
- Enrollment level; Selective
Tuition vs Education:
- Tuition and fees; $37,980
- Room and board fees; $11,172
- Graduation rate; 56%
- Freshman retention; 78%
- Popular programs;
- Business
- Visual and performing arts
- Social science
- Psychology
- Biology and biomedical science
- Degrees offered; Bachelor’s, masters, doctorate
- Students with financial aid; 75.3%
- Students with grants or scholarships; 74.9%
Designation:
Private
About:
Located west of Daytona Beach, Stetson is on the National Register of Historic Places. Business, liberal arts and science degrees are main attractions. This school was primarily chosen because of its ROI, alumni opportunities, and level of financial assisting for its students.
#10: Eckerd College
4200 54th Avenue S., St. Petersburg, FL, 337112014 Statistics on Eckerd College
Accolades:
- #75 in Southern colleges; Forbes 2013
- #141 best national liberal arts schools; US News, 2014
Career Opportunities:
Below are statistics from linkedin.com about where Eckerd College alumni work and what their career opportunities are.
Enrollment:
- Total Enrollment; 1,893
- Acceptance rate; 71%
- SAT composite scores; 1010 to 1230
- Student-to-faculty ratio; 13:1
- Enrollment level; Selective
Tuition vs. Education Return on Investment:
- Avg tuition and fees; $37,326
- Avg room and board fees; $10,144
- Graduation rate; 56%
- Freshman retention rate; 80%
- Popular programs;
- Marine biology
- International business
- Psychology
- Environmental studies
- Degrees offered; Bachelors
- Students with financial aid; 58.5%
- Students with scholarship or grant aid; 58.2%
Designation:
Private
About:
This waterfront campus offers highly popular marine sciences and environmental studies programs. Eckerd College also has strong international studies and study abroad programs.
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