The colleges in Florida charge the lowest public university tuition in the United States. Average in-state tuition and fees are $6,360 a year against a national average of $11,610, and the state has now held the bottom spot for three consecutive years. Tuition has been effectively frozen since 2014-15.
That single fact reshapes every decision you make about studying here, and not in the way most guides suggest.
If you are a Florida resident with Bright Futures, your tuition may be fully covered. What Bright Futures will never cover is housing. So for a large share of students in this state, housing is not part of the cost of a Florida degree. It is the cost. And it varies by a factor of more than two depending on which city you choose.
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What Colleges in Florida Cost
| * | Florida | National average |
| Average in-state tuition and fees, 2024-25 | $6,360 | $11,610 |
| Difference | $5,250 less | |
| Years ranked lowest in the nation | 3 consecutive | |
| Tuition frozen since | 2014-15 |
Individual public universities sit close to that average. UCF charges $6,368 in-state, FAMU $5,785. Out-of-state is a different proposition: UCF charges non-residents $24,076 and FAMU $17,725, though even those figures undercut many states' in-state rates.
The private sector is where the range opens up. The University of Tampa charges $35,660 in tuition and fees, roughly five and a half times a Florida public, which we break down in the University of Tampa tuition guide.
Bright Futures Pays Your Tuition and None of Your Rent
Florida's Bright Futures scholarship is the most consequential financial fact in the state, and the part everyone misreads is what it excludes.
| Award | What it pays |
| Florida Academic Scholars | 100% of tuition and applicable fees |
| Florida Medallion Scholars | 75% of tuition and fees |
Both awards cover tuition, the tuition differential, and activity, health, athletic, technology, financial aid, capital improvement, campus access and transportation fees.
Neither covers:
- Housing. Dorms, off-campus rent and meal plans are never covered.
- Textbooks. The book stipend was eliminated in 2021.
- Lab fees, material charges and distance-learning fees.
- Graduate programs or out-of-state institutions.
Run the arithmetic at a typical Florida public. A Florida Academic Scholar has roughly $5,654 in tuition and fees paid in full, and still faces something in the region of $20,000 a year in housing, food, books and transportation.
Your scholarship handles the small number. You handle the large one. That is why the rest of this guide is mostly about cities.
Flagged for review. Bright Futures award levels and per-credit rates are set by legislative session. Confirm current values before relying on them.
Where You Study Costs More Than Where You Get In
Here is the table that should drive your decision, because tuition barely moves across Florida's public universities and rent moves enormously.
| City | Average rent | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | Per bedroom in a 3 bed |
| Tallahassee | $1,787 | $993 | $1,250 | $1,615 | $1,916 | $639 |
| Orlando | $1,828 | $1,417 | $1,614 | $1,970 | $2,381 | $794 |
| Gainesville | $1,867 | $1,267 | $1,274 | $1,653 | $1,990 | $663 |
| Tampa | $2,031 | $1,467 | $1,746 | $2,102 | $2,655 | $885 |
| Miami | $2,773 | $2,265 | $2,450 | $2,995 | $3,741 | $1,247 |
| Boca Raton | $2,965 | $1,959 | $2,370 | $3,057 | $4,170 | $1,390 |
Two things in that table are worth stopping on.
Boca Raton is more expensive than Miami. It has the highest average rent of any major Florida student city, and the highest three-bedroom rate in the state at $4,170. FAU, which has the most generous admissions of the major Florida publics at 66%, sits in it. Easy to get into, expensive to live in. See the FAU acceptance rate guide.
The spread between the cheapest and dearest city is larger than a year of tuition. Sharing a three-bedroom in Tallahassee costs $639 a month per person. The same arrangement in Boca Raton costs $1,390. That is $751 a month, $9,012 a year, and $36,048 across a four-year degree.
Florida's average annual tuition is $6,360. The housing decision is worth more than five years of it.
Flagged for review. These are August and September 2026 market averages across all housing, not student-specific rates. Confirm against current listings before budgeting.
Acceptance Rates at Florida Colleges
| Institution | Acceptance rate | City | Guide |
| University of Florida | 19% | Gainesville | UF acceptance rate |
| Florida A&M University | 20.6% | Tallahassee | FAMU acceptance rate |
| University of Central Florida | 33% | Orlando | UCF acceptance rate |
| University of Tampa | About 40% | Tampa | University of Tampa tuition |
| Florida Atlantic University | 66.12% | Boca Raton | FAU acceptance rate |
The ordering in that table surprises most people. Florida A&M, the state's public HBCU, is the second most selective institution on this list at 20.6%, ahead of UCF and well ahead of FAU. The assumption that an HBCU is a less competitive option is simply wrong here.
The University of Florida's headline 19% also hides the largest residency gap in the state. UF admits Florida residents at about 52% and out-of-state applicants at about 14%, and 85% of its undergraduates are Florida residents. If you are applying from outside Florida, UF is a genuine reach regardless of what the statewide averages suggest.
Where Students Live in Florida
Gainesville. The University of Florida dominates a classic college town. Average rent is $1,867 but a three-bedroom works out at $663 per person, among the cheapest in the state. Browse student accommodation in Gainesville, housing near UF, and our review of The Retreat Gainesville.
Tallahassee. Florida State and FAMU share the state capital, and it is the cheapest student city in Florida on every unit size. A studio at 993istheonlysub-1,000 studio in this table. See student accommodation in Tallahassee, housing near FSU, and our review of Stadium Centre Tallahassee.
Orlando. UCF is the largest university in Florida at 70,674 students, with Full Sail nearby. Rent is mid-range and actually fell slightly this year. See student accommodation in Orlando and housing near UCF.
Tampa. USF and the University of Tampa sit in the same city at wildly different prices. See student accommodation in Tampa and housing near USF.
Miami. The University of Miami in a major international city, at $2,773 average rent. See student accommodation in Miami and housing near the University of Miami.
Boca Raton. FAU and Lynn University, in the most expensive rental market covered here. See student accommodation in Boca Raton.
Fort Myers and Jacksonville. Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers and a large metro market in Jacksonville. See Fort Myers and Jacksonville.
Three Things About Renting in Florida
Hurricane season runs June through November, and it overlaps your move-in. Ask before you sign what the building's policy is on evacuation, what happens to rent if the property is uninhabitable, and whether renters insurance is required. Most student leases start in August, which is inside the peak. This is not a reason for alarm, but it is a question worth asking that almost no student asks.
Twelve-month leases against a nine-month academic year. Florida college towns lease heavily on twelve-month terms. If you go home for the summer you are paying for an empty room unless you sublet. Read what subletting means before you sign.
Security deposits are lightly regulated in Florida compared with many states. There is no statutory cap on the amount. Photograph everything at move-in, keep the record, and get the condition in writing.
Take our apartment tour checklist to every viewing. International students should read renting without a credit history in the USA and co-signing student leases in the USA early, and how student housing affects US F-1 visa status covers the visa side.
On Campus or Off?
Most Florida public universities guarantee first-year housing. After that the calculation is driven almost entirely by city. In Tallahassee and Gainesville the off-campus market is large, purpose-built and cheap enough that sharing beats the dorm comfortably. In Boca Raton and Miami the gap narrows sharply, and campus housing is more competitive than students expect.
Our comparison of college dorms versus off-campus housing works through the trade-off, and how to book on-campus housing at US universities covers the process.
Who Florida Suits
A strong fit if you are a Florida resident, particularly with Bright Futures, where tuition at a public university may cost you nothing and the whole decision becomes a housing decision. Also if you are out of state and cost-sensitive, since Florida out-of-state rates undercut many states' in-state rates.
Think carefully if you are applying to UF from out of state, where the rate is about 14%, or if you are set on Boca Raton or Miami without having costed the rent. The cheapest tuition in the country does not make a city with $1,390-per-bedroom housing affordable.
The community college route is strong here. Florida's state college system has well-established transfer pathways into the public universities, and Bright Futures can apply. See the best community colleges in the US.
Compare with our guides to colleges in Pennsylvania, colleges in Illinois and colleges in Massachusetts if you are choosing between states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does college cost in Florida?
Average in-state tuition and fees at Florida public universities are $6,360 a year, the lowest in the United States and $5,250 below the national average of $11,610. Tuition has been frozen since 2014-15.
What are the best colleges in Florida?
The University of Florida is the most selective at 19%, followed by Florida A&M at 20.6% and UCF at 33%. Florida State, the University of Miami, USF, the University of Tampa and FAU are all significant institutions. Best depends on your subject, your residency and your budget for housing.
Does Bright Futures cover housing?
No. Bright Futures covers tuition and specified fees, at 100% for Florida Academic Scholars and 75% for Florida Medallion Scholars. It never covers dorms, off-campus rent, meal plans or textbooks.
Which Florida city is cheapest for students?
Tallahassee. A three-bedroom works out at about $639 per person a month, the lowest of Florida's major student cities. Gainesville is next at $663.
Which Florida city is most expensive for students?
Boca Raton, at $2,965 average rent and $4,170 for a three-bedroom. It is more expensive than Miami, which surprises most people.
Is it hard to get into the University of Florida from out of state?
Yes. UF admits Florida residents at about 52% and out-of-state applicants at about 14%, and 85% of its undergraduates are Florida residents.
Is FAMU easier to get into than other Florida universities?
No. Florida A&M admitted 20.6% of applicants, making it the second most selective institution covered here, ahead of UCF at 33% and well ahead of FAU at 66%.
How much does housing cost at colleges in Florida?
It depends almost entirely on the city. Sharing a three-bedroom ranges from $639 per person in Tallahassee to $1,390 in Boca Raton. Across a four-year degree that difference is about $36,048.
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The Bottom Line
The colleges in Florida run on an unusual economy. Tuition is the lowest in the country, frozen for over a decade, and for many residents covered outright by Bright Futures. Everything that is normally the headline number has been taken off the table.
What remains is rent, and rent in Florida ranges from $639 to $1,390 per bedroom depending on the city you pick. That gap is worth $36,048 over four years, roughly five and a half years of the tuition everyone focuses on.
Choose the university on its merits. Then cost the city honestly, because in this state the city is where your money actually goes.