Florida is brimming with choices for online colleges. Many college students simply think of the state as the top spring break destination, but Florida is also a top college destination. It’s not just the sunny weather that keeps so many residents in their home state when it comes time for college. At an average of a shade over $4,000 per year, Florida’s in-state cost for a public college or university is just about half the national average.
Four reasons to find an online college in your state:
Guaranteed in-state tuition saves you money
Be a part of a university or college you know and love
Ranking guidelines for the best online colleges in Florida:
Best-schools-sealWe selected the online colleges and universities here based on the quality of their programs, types of courses and degrees offered, faculty strengths, as well as school awards, rankings, and reputation, including a strong reputation for online degree programs.
Note: In ranking the best online colleges in Florida, giving attention to the variety of degree programs available at the institutions is of utmost importance. For this reason, a more prestigious school in Florida may offer one, or a few online degrees, but that may not be enough for that school to rank highly among the best online colleges in the state. In this ranking, we are dedicated to showing who’s leading the way in delivering quality online degree programs in Florida.
See who ranks as the best college and university in Florida today.
The University of Florida ranks among The 100 Best Universities in the World.
Nine colleges in Florida rank among the 100 Best Online Colleges for 2018
The Best Online Colleges in Florida
University of Florida
(Gainesville, FL)University of Florida
Founded in 1853, The University of Florida, a public sea-grant, land-grant and space-grant university, is the state’s oldest university and boasts more than 367,000 alumni worldwide. Recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in academic excellence, the University of Florida offers more than 100 online programs through UF Online.
UF Online offers four-year bachelor’s degree programs, 2+2 bachelor’s completion programs as well as specialist degrees. The school also provides numerous online master’s degrees in topics such as international construction management, agronomy, aerospace engineering, special education, business administration, pharmaceutical sciences, Latin, and more. In addition, UF Online offers online doctorate degrees in education, audiology, philosophy, nursing practice, and pharmacy.
Online students must meet the same program and admission requirements as traditional students. Students have access to the same support services, including an online course management system, an online bookstore, an online library, a career resource center and an online tuition payment system.
The University of Florida is regionally accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS).
Florida State University
(Tallahassee, FL)Florida State University
Florida State University, a public sea-grant and space-grant university founded in 1851, enrolls nearly 42,000 students across 16 colleges and more than 100 facilities, centers, institutes and labs. A member of the State University System of Florida, Florida State University offers a variety of online bachelor degree completion programs, master’s degrees, specialist degrees and a doctorate through its Office of Distance Learning.
Florida State University offers advanced standing undergraduate degree programs in computer science, public safety and security, social science and criminology. All students must have completed at least 60 semester hours of transferable credit before admission. Students also can pursue online master’s degrees in topics such as risk management and insurance, communication disorders, nurse educator, learning and cognition, and social work. The school allows students to earn an online doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy as well as specialist degrees in library and information studies, and educational leadership/administration. The university offers a host of certificate programs as well.
Florida State University follows a semester schedule, and most of its online courses are asynchronous, which allows students to complete coursework on their schedule. Distance learning students have access to an online orientation, virtual library and library resources. Some courses require proctored exams at an external site; instructors notify students on the first day of the semester.
Florida State University is regionally accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS).
University of Central Florida
(Orlando, FL)University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, a space-grant university founded in 1963, enrolls more than 60,000 students and boasts 230,000 alumni worldwide. A member of the State University System of Florida, the University of Central Florida offers about 50 degree programs ranging from bachelor’s to doctorates which students can complete online through its Center for Distributed Learning.
The University of Central Florida’s undergraduate degree offerings include those in topics such as health services administration, sociology and English creative writing. The university also offers a nursing degree completion program and certificates in substitute teaching and gender studies. Students pursuing a master’s degree can choose from more than two dozen programs including hospitality and tourism management, career and technical education, criminal justice, and forensic science. The university offers a doctor of nursing practice and a doctorate in nursing. Students enrolled in dissertation or thesis must be on campus during their final defense.
Online students have access to a variety of services including the bookstore, library resources and financial aid. The university offers online courses in several formats including video streaming and face-to-face instruction.
The University of Central Florida is regionally accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS).