Best College ROI in Fl 2026
106 colleges in Fl analyzed for return on investment. Santa Fe College leads with a ROI Score of 100/100 (STRONG BUY).
Fl has 106 colleges tracked in the Department of Education's College Scorecard, split between 40 public institutions and 66 private ones. Across the 106 schools with enough data to score, graduates of the top-paying major at each school carry a median federal debt of $24K and earn $79K in their first year out — the gap that determines whether a degree pays back.
97% of Fl colleges earn an A or B on the ROI Score, with the rest landing at C or below. First-year earnings top out at Santa Fe College (median $95K on Computer and Information Sciences). The lowest median debt comes from Lake-Sumter State College at $4K.
All numbers come from the latest College Scorecard release, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients only — graduates who paid cash or used private loans aren't in this dataset, so actual median debt at high-income schools may be lower than shown. The ROI Score weights debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), BLS job outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%).
Top 3 Best ROI Colleges in Fl
Santa Fe College
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Tops Fl's ROI rankings on its Computer and Information Sciences program. Graduates earn a median $95K in their first year against $9K in median debt.
Strayer University-Florida
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Second-best ROI in the state, driven by Computer and Information Sciences. Five-year median earnings: $147K.
Daytona State College
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Third on the ROI Score with Computer and Information Sciences. Graduation rate 10000%, debt $12K.
Top 20 Colleges by ROI in Fl
| # | School | Best Major | Median Debt | 1yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe College(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $9K | $95K | A (100) |
| 2 | Strayer University-Florida(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $4K | $95K | A (100) |
| 3 | Daytona State College(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $12K | $95K | A (99) |
| 4 | Indian River State College(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $16K | $95K | A (98) |
| 5 | Atlantis University(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $19K | $95K | A (97) |
| 6 | Florida State University(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $19K | $95K | A (97) |
| 7 | Gulf Coast State College(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $19K | $95K | A (97) |
| 8 | Palm Beach State College(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $19K | $95K | A (97) |
| 9 | Pensacola State College(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $20K | $95K | A (97) |
| 10 | Broward College(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $22K | $95K | A (96) |
| 11 | Eastern Florida State College(public) | Information Science/Studies | $19K | $95K | A (96) |
| 12 | Florida Polytechnic University(public) | Computer Science | $19K | $95K | A (96) |
| 13 | Miami Dade College(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 14 | St Petersburg College(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 15 | The University of Tampa(private) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $22K | $95K | A (96) |
| 16 | University of Florida(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 17 | University of Miami(private) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 18 | Valencia College(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $19K | $95K | A (96) |
| 19 | University of North Florida(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 20 | University of West Florida(public) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $22K | $95K | A (96) |
College debt and earnings data for Fl is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Fe College has the best ROI in Fl with a score of 100/100 (STRONG BUY). The top major is Computer and Information Sciences, with $95K in first-year median earnings against $9K in median debt.
Across 106 Fl colleges with ROI data, graduates carry a median debt of about $24K on the best-paying major at each school. First-year median earnings on those same programs average $79K.
Santa Fe College graduates earn the most one year out, with median first-year pay of $95K on its top major (Computer and Information Sciences). After five years, those graduates earn a median of $147K.
Fl has 106 colleges in our database (40 public, 66 private). Of the 106 with reportable ROI, 97% earn an A or B grade.
The ROI Score (0-100) weighs debt-to-income ratio (35%), earnings premium over a high school graduate (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%). Scores are graded A-F with verdicts from "Strong Buy" to "Avoid." Data comes from the College Scorecard and BLS occupational projections.
ROI Score: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), debt vs. national average (10%).