The cost of college in Florida — and what it pays back
Across the 166 Florida institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $19,812/yr, $2,910 above the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $38,539 ten years after entry (below the $43,549 national median), and 40 of the 166 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Florida's 166 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Florida-Online | $4,815 | $71,588 | 0.8 yrs |
| University of Florida | $6,541 | $71,588 | 1.1 yrs |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide | $18,725 | $84,131 | 2.1 yrs |
| West Coast University-Miami | $32,539 | $102,672 | 2.4 yrs |
| Chamberlain University-Florida | $31,269 | $92,405 | 2.8 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Florida College | $804 | $33,929 | no payback |
| Radford M Locklin Technical College | $987 | $35,997 | no payback |
| Chipola College | $1,133 | $37,378 | no payback |
| Cape Coral Technical College | $1,463 | $36,080 | no payback |
| St Petersburg College | $1,471 | $42,557 | no payback |
How many Florida colleges actually pay for themselves?
40 of 166 — 24% of the Florida institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Florida graduates out-earn the national median?
Florida graduates report a median $38,539 ten years after entry, $5,010 below the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.