POPULATION (2021): 21.8 million
CAPITAL: Tallahassee
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN FLORIDA: University of Central Florida
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN FLORIDA: Everest University
Though a nice chunk of students from the East Coast, Midwest, Northeast, New England, and South all convene in Florida for Spring Break, there are also a lot of students who spend their whole college careers in the Sunshine State. Florida is the largest state on the Atlantic Coast and also has more total coastline than California if you include the stretches of beach that line the Gulf of Mexico (we do).
Nothing goes with a beach like nice weather, and Florida is also one of the states where college students can enjoy the outdoors all throughout the school year. The further south you go, the warmer it gets, and the humidity takes some getting used to, but most residents point to the Florida weather as one of their favorite parts about living in the state.
The cost of living is also relatively low, which is enticing for a lot of college students, too. Here is a closer look at what Florida has to offer potential college students.
Universities in Florida – 4-Year Colleges and Online
To say there are several options for 4-year colleges in Florida would certainly be an understatement. In addition to a lot of sunshine, Florida is ripe with several choices for higher education, both in the public and private sectors. Here is a closer look at both!
Public Universities in Florida
All of the public universities in Florida fall into one of two systems, “The State College System” and “The Florida College System.” For fans of college sports, Florida State and The University of Florida are two very recognizable schools, but they both actually fall into The State College System, along with these other schools (a city in parentheses).
- Florida A&M University (Tallahassee)
- Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton)
- Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers)
- Florida International University (Miami)
- Florida Polytechnic University (Lakeland)
- Florida State University (Tallahassee)
- New College of Florida (Sarasota)
- University of Central Florida (Orlando)
- University of Florida (Gainesville)
- University of North Florida (Jacksonville)
- University of South Florida (Tampa)
- University of West Florida (Pensacola)
The Florida College System is comprised of these 4-year universities (as well as a few community colleges listed in the next sections):
- Broward College (Davie)
- Chipola College (Marianna)
- College of Central Florida (Ocala)
- Daytona State College (Daytona Beach)
- Eastern Florida State College (Cocoa)
- Florida Gateway College (Lake City)
- College of the Florida Keys (Key West)
- Florida SouthWestern State College (Fort Myers)
- Florida State College at Jacksonville (Jacksonville)
- Gulf Coast State College (Panama City)
- Indian River State College (Fort Pierce)
- Lake–Sumter State College (Leesburg)
- Miami Dade College (Miami)
- Northwest Florida State College (Niceville)
- Palm Beach State College (Lake Worth)
- Pasco–Hernando State College (New Port Richey)
- Pensacola State College (Pensacola)
- Polk State College (Winter Haven)
- Santa Fe College (Gainesville)
- Seminole State College of Florida (Sanford)
- South Florida State College (Avon Park)
- St. Johns River State College (Palatka)
- St. Petersburg College (St. Petersburg)
- State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota (Bradenton)
- Valencia College (Orlando)
Private Universities in Florida
In addition to a large number of public universities, private 4-year colleges, and universities are in no short supply in Florida either. There is a city-by-city breakdown below, but here is the inclusive list of all of the private universities and colleges in the state of Florida:
- AdventHealth University (Orlando)
- Argosy University (Tampa)
- Atlantis University (Miami-Dade County)
- Ave Maria University
- Ave Maria University (Ave Maria)
- Baptist College of Florida (Graceville)
- Barry University (Miami Shores)
- Beacon College (Leesburg)
- Bethune–Cookman University (Daytona Beach)
- Carlos Albizu University (Miami)
- Columbia College (Jacksonville, Orlando)
- Covenant Life University (Fort Myers)
- DeVry University (Orlando)
- Eckerd College
- Eckerd College (St. Petersburg)
- Edward Waters University (Jacksonville, Florida)
- Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach)
- Emmaus Baptist College (Brandon, Florida)
- Flagler College (St. Augustine)
- Florida College (Temple Terrace)
- Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne)
- Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens)
- Florida National University (Hialeah)
- Florida Southern College (Lakeland)
- Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (Jacksonville)
- Herzing University (Orlando)
- Hobe Sound Bible College (Hobe Sound)
- Hodges University (Naples)
- Jacksonville University (Jacksonville)
- Johnson University Florida (Kissimmee)
- Keiser University (Fort Lauderdale)
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (Bradenton)
- Lynn University (Boca Raton)
- Miami International University of Art & Design (Miami)
- Miami Regional University (Miami Springs)
- Millennia Atlantic University (Doral)
- National Louis University (Tampa)
- National University of Medical Sciences (Naples)
- Nexus University (Miami)
- Nova Southeastern University (Davie)
- Okan International University (Dania Beach)
- Palm Beach Atlantic University (West Palm Beach)
- Pensacola Christian College (Pensacola)
- Rasmussen College (Ocala, Fort Myers, New Port Richey/West Pasco, Land o’ Lakes/East Pasco, and Tampa/Brandon)
- Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando)
- Rollins College (Winter Park)
- Saint Leo University
- Saint Leo University (St. Leo)
- San Ignacio University (Doral)
- Schiller International University (Largo)
- Southeastern College (Miami Lakes, West Palm Beach)
- Southeastern University (Lakeland)
- Southern Technical College (Orlando)
- South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary (Deerfield Beach)
- Springfield College (Tampa)
- St. John Vianney College Seminary (Miami)
- St. Thomas University (Miami Gardens)
- Stetson University (DeLand)
- Talmudic University Yeshiva Bais Moshe Chaim (Miami Beach)
- Trinity Baptist College (Jacksonville)
- Trinity College (New Port Richey)
- University of Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale)
- University of Miami (Coral Gables)
- University of Phoenix (Orlando)
- University of Tampa (Tampa)
- Warner University (Lake Wales)
- Webber International University (Babson Park)
- Western Michigan University Cooley Law School (Tampa)
Community Colleges in Florida
In keeping with the options for public and private universities in Florida, there are also several choices at the community college level. Here they are:
- Eastern Florida State College (Cocoa)
- Broward College (Fort Lauderdale)
- College of Central Florida (Ocala)
- Chipola College (Marianna)
- Daytona State College (Daytona Beach)
- Edison State College (Fort Meyers)
- Florida State College at Jacksonville
- Florida Keys Community College (Key West)
- Gulf Coast State College (Panama City)
- Hillsborough Community College (Tampa)
- Indian River State College (Fort Pierce)
- Florida Gateway Collegev(Lake City)
- Lake-Sumter State College (Leesburg)
- Miami Dade College (Miami)
- North Florida Community College (Madison)
- Northwest Florida State College (Niceville)
- Palm Beach State College (Lake Worth)
- Pasco-Hernando Community College (New Port Richey)
- Pensacola State College
- Polk State College (Winter Haven)
- Santa Fe College (Gainesville)
- Seminole State College (Sanford)
- South Florida State College (Avon Park)
- St. Johns River State College (Palatka)
- St. Petersburg College (St. Petersburg)
- State College of Florida (Bradenton)
- Tallahassee Community College (Tallahassee)
- Valencia College (Orlando)
Prominent Online Colleges in Florida
Several of the nearly-infinite lists of schools above offer hybrid learning options or fully online degree programs, and the state schools are ahead in the online game according to many accounts. Here are some of the highest-ranked online college programs in Florida:
- University of Florida
- University of Central Florida
- Florida International University
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida State University
Universities in Fort Myers, FL
Ft. Myers is a small city in the panhandle of Florida that is often a spring break destination. As far as students who stay there for school, though, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Southwestern State College, and Southern Technical College all have 4-year degree programs in Fort Myers.
Universities in Hialeah, FL
Hialeah is a growing industrial city just outside of Miami and is home to Florida National University, which offers 4-year degrees, and also a handful of trade schools.
Universities in Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, located in northeast Florida, is the largest city in the state by land area and population. It also has quite a few colleges that offer 4-year degrees:
- Chamberlain University
- Florida State – Jacksonville
- Jacksonville University
- Trinity Baptist College
- University of North Florida
Universities in Miami, FL
Miami is second to Jacksonville as far as population but actually has a few more options for higher education, including a renowned community college system. There are also these 4-year colleges:
- Miami International University of Art & Design
- Atlantis University
- Barry University
- Carlos Albizu University
- City College of Miami
- Florida International University
- Miami-Dade College
- Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico – Miami
- Universal Trinity College
Universities in Orlando, FL
One of the most popular family tourism destinations in the country, this central Florida city has a lot of entertainment options, as well as a handful of 4-year universities:
- Florida Technical College
- Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico – Orlando
- University of Central Florida
- Valencia College
Universities in Sarasota, FL
Sarasota, a Gulf Coast city near Tampa, is home to three universities that offer 4-year degrees: the Ringling College of Art and Design, the New College of Florida, and the campus of the University of South Florida.
Universities in Tallahassee, FL
Florida’s capital is home to Florida State University, one of the largest and most prestigious public universities in the state, and it occupies most of the college landscape, though the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Tallahassee Community College both offer 4-year degrees, too.
Universities in Tampa, FL
The University of Tampa, Strayer University, Soth University, and the University of South Florida are all located in Tampa. The Gulf Coast city has a ton of entertainment options and the beach weather lasts most of the year.
Get to Know Florida
Depending on who you ask, you can get a lot of different answers to the question “What is it like living in Florida?” and that in and of itself adds to the intrigue of this large, warm, beach-filled southern state. The weather is warm year-round, even in the northern parts of the state, and entertainment options are nearly endless. Florida definitely likes to have a good time, and most of their colleges are consistently rated among the best colleges for students who like to let loose and have a good time after studying is completed.
Florida