Colleges in South Florida: Full List of Schools

Over 850,000 undergraduates were enrolled in Florida colleges in spring 2023, including tens of thousands of undergrads who flocked to South Florida colleges to earn their degrees.

It’s easy to see why so many students attend colleges in South Florida. With warm temperatures throughout the year and miles of sandy beaches, South Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

And with affordable tuition rates, vibrant campus cultures, and boundless job opportunities, South Florida has become a top destination for college.

Here are some popular choices for college in South Florida. We chose these schools based on criteria like academic rigor, number of applicants, and overall prestige.

The school data reported below is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). All enrollment data is from 2021, while acceptance rate and tuition data is from 2022-2023.

We’ve compiled a complete list of all four-year nonprofit colleges in South Florida. You can use the table below to compare data on student population, average net cost, acceptance rate, and number of applicants.

All data comes from NCES. Schools with fewer than 500 undergraduates were excluded from this list.

Many cities in South Florida have a relatively high cost of living. According to Payscale data, Fort Lauderdale is 22% more expensive than the national average.

Groceries, utilities, and transportation all tend to cost more than average, though the biggest factor affecting living expenses in South Florida is related to housing. Average rental prices in cities like Miami and Fort Lauderdale range from roughly $1,200-$4,000 a month, depending on your accommodations and location.

Students can keep costs lower by choosing an affordable college. A handful of public colleges in South Florida report annual net prices below $10,000.

South Florida is a major tourist destination, so it’s easy to see why undergrads flock to the area for college. Thanks to its many beaches and sunny weather, Florida is a great place for sports and relaxation. But there are some other great benefits to choosing a South Florida college.

For one, Florida reports some of the lowest in-state tuition rates in the country, according to NCES.

There are also many internship and employment opportunities in South Florida. If you’re interested in working in tourism, hospitality, or marine science, South Florida could be an especially great place to work.

While many colleges in South Florida earn high marks in national rankings, the University of Miami stands out as the most selective. The private institution reported a 19% acceptance rate in fall 2022, according to NCES.

South Florida’s largest public colleges also offer academic quality and a large regional alumni network. Between them, Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University enroll nearly 87,000 students. That means about half of all South Florida college students attend FAU or FIU.

Currently, many Florida colleges report shrinking enrollments, mirroring national trends. According to the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, the state’s college enrollment levels dropped 4.5% from 2022 to 2023.

Nonetheless, several South Florida colleges continue to boast strong enrollment numbers. FIU enrolls over 56,000 students, making it the largest college in South Florida. It’s followed by FAU, which enrolls over 30,000 students. Both schools report net prices of under $10,000 a year.

FIU and FAU are both highly ranked public universities in South Florida. From its Miami campus, FIU enrolls more students than FAU. It also reports a slightly lower acceptance rate of 64%. In comparison, FAU — located in Fort Lauderdale — accepts 81% of applicants.

The two South Florida colleges also report similar net prices, with both costing around $10,000 a year.