Best Colleges in Florida

Why Should I Consider Studying in Florida?

Florida can be an incredible start to a higher education path. Not only are some of the more diverse cities in America located there, but with hundreds of miles of gorgeous coastline it provides a wealth of outdoor activities all year long. That being said, you were warned, focusing on your studies here can sometimes prove challenging with so much outdoor recreation waiting to be had.

Starting in the northern section of the state, the University of Florida in Gainesville is one of the higher ranked universities in the entire state and offers a wide breadth of majors. The city also serves as the entryway into some exceptional parks and natural scenery - namely San Felasco Hammock State Park and the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.

Jumping further south, students can explore Florida State University in Tallahassee, which often finds itself ranked in the top 100 in the world - known both for academic excellence and numerous well-recognized sports programs (crazy sports fans might really enjoy this one). The city is also the capital, and is filled with history - fortunately it’s readily digestible due to the various museums spread around town.

Moving even further south sits the University of Miami, not only do some of the world’s most iconic beaches sit right outside the classroom, but the school boasts exceptional law programs and a strong medical discipline. Once again, students be warned. It can be exceptionally hard to go heads down prepping for finals when your backyard is considered a global hot spot destination by travelers everywhere. That being said, for those with discipline, this can create a phenomenal study / life balance.

Florida Higher Education By The Numbers

Colleges in Florida

Florida has the 4th most colleges in America with 322 colleges. For some context, that's 285 fewer colleges than the leading state. 72% of colleges in Florida are private and 28% of its colleges are public. (231 private colleges & 91 public colleges). It has the 12th highest private to public college ratio of any U.S. state.

Our top three public colleges in Florida are University of Florida, Florida State University, and University of Central Florida. Our top three private colleges are University of Miami, L3Harris, and Rollins College. University of Central Florida is the biggest top 25 college with 81,082 students.

Students in Florida

The average state has 508,837 college students. Florida has 2.9 times as many. There are 1,099,071 public college students and 387,598 private college students in Florida. It has more public college students than 48 states and fewer private college students than 2 states. Its 1,486,669 total students make it the 4th most popular choice in the nation. 26% of students in Florida are at private schools which is the 22nd highest percentage across the country.