Best colleges for Liberal Arts and Sciences in Florida
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Miami, University of Central Florida and University of South Florida are the top bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Florida by graduate earnings. University of Miami leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,614, College Scorecard. University of Central Florida, Florida Atlantic University and University of South Florida award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Florida: 548, 468 and 448 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 67 Florida colleges offer Liberal Arts and Sciences and award 52,953 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Liberal Arts and Sciences program, formally known as Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, offers a broad educational foundation in various disciplines. This program is designed for students seeking a well-rounded…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Miami Coral Gables Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,614 | 39 | 84% | $26,589 | $28,590 |
| 2 | University of Central Florida Orlando Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,391 | 548 | 78% | — | $15,135 |
| 3 | University of South Florida Tampa Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,230 | 448 | 77% | — | $30,676 |
| 4 | Florida State University Tallahassee Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,361 | 203 | 86% | — | $21,349 |
| 5 | Florida International University Miami Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,418 | 381 | 74% | — | $25,571 |
| 6 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,605 | 468 | 63% | — | $11,300 |
| 7 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $28,890 | 36 | 63% | $31,672 | $31,000 |
| 8 | Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $25,459 | 78 | 31% | $16,818 | $31,000 |
| 9 | New College of Florida Sarasota Public · Bachelor's degree | $20,395 | 44 | 67% | — | $15,314 |
| 10 | Barry University Miami Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $46,015 | 2 | 38% | $24,719 | $46,429 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Leo University Saint Leo Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $41,989 | 115 | 45% | $18,986 | $23,687 |
| 2 | University of West Florida Pensacola Public · Associate degree | $31,140 | 472 | 59% | — | $15,125 |
| 3 | The College of the Florida Keys Key West Public · Associate degree | $30,933 | 52 | 34% | — | $7,285 |
| 4 | Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville Public · Associate degree | $30,678 | 1,619 | 37% | — | $10,909 |
| 5 | Hillsborough College Tampa Public · Associate degree | $30,406 | 2,726 | 34% | — | $11,000 |
| 6 | Palm Beach State College Lake Worth Public · Associate degree | $29,805 | 2,290 | 41% | — | $8,125 |
| 7 | North Florida College Madison Public · Associate degree | $29,129 | 145 | 59% | — | — |
| 8 | St Petersburg College St. Petersburg Public · Associate degree | $29,069 | 2,361 | 38% | — | $13,699 |
| 9 | Daytona State College Daytona Beach Public · Associate degree | $28,917 | 1,359 | 43% | — | $9,000 |
| 10 | Broward College Fort Lauderdale Public · Associate degree | $28,775 | 3,706 | 39% | — | $8,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Florida
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Central Florida Orlando Public | 548 | $48,391 |
| 2 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Public | 468 | $29,605 |
| 3 | University of South Florida Tampa Public | 448 | $45,230 |
| 4 | Florida International University Miami Public | 381 | $34,418 |
| 5 | Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers Public | 351 | Not reported |
| 6 | University of North Florida Jacksonville Public | 297 | Not reported |
| 7 | Florida State University Tallahassee Public | 203 | $35,361 |
| 8 | University of Florida Gainesville Public | 108 | Not reported |
| 9 | Florida College Temple Terrace Private not-for-profit | 81 | Not reported |
| 10 | Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach Private not-for-profit | 78 | $25,459 |
ShowHide the other 57 Florida colleges offering Liberal Arts and Sciences
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dade College | Miami | Public | 7,027 |
| Valencia College | Orlando | Public | 6,441 |
| Broward College | Fort Lauderdale | Public | 3,706 |
| Hillsborough College | Tampa | Public | 2,726 |
| Tallahassee State College | Tallahassee | Public | 2,489 |
| St Petersburg College | St. Petersburg | Public | 2,361 |
| Pasco-Hernando State College | New Port Richey | Public | 2,295 |
| Palm Beach State College | Lake Worth | Public | 2,290 |
| Santa Fe College | Gainesville | Public | 2,232 |
| Indian River State College | Fort Pierce | Public | 1,826 |
| Eastern Florida State College | Melbourne | Public | 1,748 |
| Seminole State College of Florida | Sanford | Public | 1,701 |
| Florida State College at Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Public | 1,619 |
| Florida SouthWestern State College | Fort Myers | Public | 1,608 |
| Daytona State College | Daytona Beach | Public | 1,359 |
| Pensacola State College | Pensacola | Public | 977 |
| State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota | Bradenton | Public | 957 |
| Polk State College | Winter Haven | Public | 762 |
| Saint Johns River State College | Palatka | Public | 743 |
| College of Central Florida | Ocala | Public | 723 |
| Northwest Florida State College | Niceville | Public | 701 |
| Lake-Sumter State College | Leesburg | Public | 662 |
| Gulf Coast State College | Panama City | Public | 475 |
| University of West Florida | Pensacola | Public | 472 |
| Doral College (Online) | Doral | Private not-for-profit | 380 |
| Florida Gateway College | Lake City | Public | 254 |
| South Florida State College | Avon Park | Public | 251 |
| Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale | Private not-for-profit | 208 |
| Chipola College | Marianna | Public | 200 |
| North Florida College | Madison | Public | 145 |
| Southeastern University | Lakeland | Private not-for-profit | 136 |
| Saint Leo University | Saint Leo | Private not-for-profit | 115 |
| The College of the Florida Keys | Key West | Public | 52 |
| PENSACOLA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE | Pensacola | Private not-for-profit | 46 |
| New College of Florida | Sarasota | Public | 44 |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables | Private not-for-profit | 39 |
| Warner University | Lake Wales | Private not-for-profit | 37 |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale | Private not-for-profit | 36 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Tallahassee | Public | 32 |
| University of Florida-Online (Online) | Gainesville | Public | 19 |
| Florida Polytechnic University | Lakeland | Public | 15 |
| Florida National University | Hialeah | Private for-profit | 11 |
| The University of Tampa | Tampa | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Baptist University of Florida | Graceville | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Trinity College of Florida | Trinity | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| University of Fort Lauderdale | Lauderhill | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Beacon College | Leesburg | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | West Palm Beach | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Eckerd College | Saint Petersburg | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Hobe Sound Bible College | Hobe Sound | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Herzing University - Tampa | Tampa | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Ave Maria University | Ave Maria | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Barry University | Miami | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Rollins College | Winter Park | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Herzing University - Orlando | Winter Park | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Florida Southern College | Lakeland | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Postsecondary Teachers, All Other (SOC 25-1199).
What Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn in Florida
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Florida.
Which Florida colleges award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees?+
University of Central Florida (548 graduates a year), Florida Atlantic University (468 graduates a year) and University of South Florida (448 graduates a year) award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Florida, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 67 Florida colleges offer Liberal Arts and Sciences.
What is the best college for Liberal Arts and Sciences in Florida?+
By graduate earnings, University of Miami leads among bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Florida, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,614, College Scorecard. University of Central Florida and University of South Florida follow. By degrees awarded, University of Central Florida is the largest, with 548 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Liberal Arts and Sciences program in Florida has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Miami tops the list at $50,614. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn in Florida?+
The average annual wage for Postsecondary Teachers, All Other in Florida is $77,820 (median $62,670), across about 14,730 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Liberal Arts and Sciences program?+
The Liberal Arts and Sciences program, formally known as Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, offers a broad educational foundation in various disciplines. This program is designed for students seeking a well-rounded…
What is the job outlook for Postsecondary Teachers, All Other?+
The national job outlook is about +1.8% growth with around 13,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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