17 FL Schools Among Money’s Best Colleges In America 2023

FLORIDA — Seventeen institutions in Florida were recently named to Money Magazine’s Best Colleges In America list, an analysis that looks at graduation rates, tuition, financial aid and alumni salaries.

Rather than ranking the colleges, Money said it used a six-star rating system to develop the list of 736 colleges “where your tuition (and time) is likely to pay off.”

“While the underlying methodology is similar to previous years, the new rating system can help families with their college search by highlighting the variety (and diversity) of high-value colleges in the U.S.,” Money said, “We hope the ratings show that, depending on your individual characteristics, priorities and goals, there may be multiple top colleges to consider.”

In Florida, colleges selected for the list include:

University of Florida, Gainesville (5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 30 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $22,500
Estimated price with average grant: $10,500
Graduation rate: 87 percent

Florida International University, Miami (4.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 64 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $25,100
Estimated price with average grant: $10,100
Graduation rate: 68 percent

Florida State University, Tallahassee (4.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 37 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $24,600
Estimated price with average grant: $13,600
Graduation rate: 83 percent

University of Central Florida, Orlando (4.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 36 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $25,200
Estimated price with average grant: $12,400
Graduation rate: 74 percent

University of South Florida, Tampa (4.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 49 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $25,300
Estimated price with average grant: $12,200
Graduation rate: 73 percent

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton (4 stars)
Acceptance rate: 78 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $25,100
Estimated price with average grant: $9,400
Graduation rate: 58 percent

New College of Florida, Sarasota (4 stars)
Acceptance rate: 74 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $23,000
Estimated price with average grant: $10,400
Graduation rate: 65 percent

University of North Florida, Jacksonville (4 stars)
Acceptance rate: 77 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $22,600
Estimated price with average grant: $8,300
Graduation rate: 64 percent

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee (3.5 stars)

Acceptance rate: 35 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $25,300
Estimated price with average grant: $13,400
Graduation rate: 53 percent

Florida Southern College, Lakeland (3.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 61 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $57,700
Estimated price with average grant: $27,600
Graduation rate: 68 percent

Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale (3.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 93 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $58,600
Estimated price with average grant: $28,400
Graduation rate: 66 percent

Rollins College, Winter Park (3.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 49 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $76,700
Estimated price with average grant: $32,400
Graduation rate: 74 percent

Stetson University, DeLand (3.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 92 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $73,300
Estimated price with average grant: $21,700
Graduation rate: 64 percent

University of Miami, Coral Gables (3.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 28 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $78,900
Estimated price with average grant: $37,000
Graduation rate: 82 percent

Eckerd College, St. Petersburg (3 stars)
Acceptance rate: 70 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $68,800
Estimated price with average grant: $40,200
Graduation rate: 67 percent

Everglades University, Boca Raton (2.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 60 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $43,200
Estimated price with average grant: $31,500
Graduation rate: 58 percent

Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota (2.5 stars)
Acceptance rate: 69 percent
2023-24 estimated full price: $78,300
Estimated price with average grant: $55,000
Graduation rate: 69 percent

In many cases, Money said, the cost of college is a primary reason students choose not to attend college or struggle to graduate once they do. Overall, freshmen starting at a four-year college this fall will pay an average of $20,000 a year at public universities and $30,000 at private colleges if they receive financial aid.

Money started with more than 2,400 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduate students. To be considered, schools also had to meet graduation rate standards and meet other criteria.

Considering 26 data points, the schools were ranked in three categories:

• Quality of education (30 percent weighting);
• Affordability (40 percent weighting)
• Outcomes, including alumni earnings (30 percent weighting)

The full methodology is found on Money’s website.