Most Affordable Private Colleges in Florida
Private nonprofit colleges rarely cost what their price tags say. Among the 30 we rank in Florida, the average net price runs from $12,030 to $57,742 a year, a range of $45,712.
The median net price is $29,040, $5,180 (22%) above the national median of $23,860 for private nonprofit colleges. Median tuition and fees are $34,379, but the median net price, which also counts room, board and books after grants, is $29,040, so aid more than covers the housing and living costs added on top of tuition.
Bethune-Cookman University ranks first at $12,030, ahead of Edward Waters University ($13,649) and Stetson University ($19,372).
How this list is built
A college appears here only if it meets every condition below.
- Colleges considered
- Private nonprofit 4-year colleges whose main award is the bachelor's degree
- Ranked by net price, lowest first. Ties are broken by larger undergraduate enrollment, then by name.
- Main campuses only, with at least 60% of core data fields reported
- Main campus located in Florida
- At least 500 undergraduate students enrolled (fall 2024)
- A reported net price value (schools without one are not ranked)
- This page is published only when at least 15 schools qualify; Florida has 30
- Data period
- Net price: average for students receiving aid, academic year 2023-24.
- Tuition and fees: full-time undergraduate sticker price, academic year 2024-25 (the same for in-state and out-of-state students).
- Net price by income: students with family income of $0 to $30,000, academic year 2023-24.
- Graduation rate: first-time, full-time students who started in fall 2018 (4-year) or fall 2021 (2-year), finishing within 150% of normal time.
- Earnings: median earnings four years after completing, measured in 2022 and 2023 for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cohorts, in 2024 dollars.
- Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.
Showing all 30 qualifying schools. Select a column heading to re-sort the table.
| 1 | Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $12,030 | $14,794 | $10,896 | 29% | $46,007 |
| 2 | Edward Waters University Jacksonville, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $13,649 | $16,366 | $12,380 | 28% | — |
| 3 | Stetson University DeLand, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,372 | $57,410 | $15,931 | 63% | $57,773 |
| 4 | Warner University Lake Wales, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,748 | $29,992 | $17,853 | 38% | $50,390 |
| 5 | Ana G. Mendez University Orlando, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,775 | $13,575 | $19,643 | — | — |
| 6 | Saint Leo University Saint Leo, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,293 | $30,000 | $19,602 | 47% | $58,644 |
| 7 | Barry University Miami, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,613 | $34,350 | $20,804 | 37% | $73,480 |
| 8 | Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,238 | $20,174 | $21,882 | 31% | $46,572 |
| 9 | Florida College Temple Terrace, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,931 | $20,360 | $20,494 | 53% | $46,022 |
| 10 | Ave Maria University Ave Maria, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $24,860 | $30,198 | $18,761 | 55% | $59,489 |
| 11 | Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $25,180 | $47,830 | $21,893 | 54% | $77,058 |
| 12 | St. Thomas University Miami Gardens, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $26,312 | $34,770 | $24,657 | 46% | $70,806 |
| 13 | Everglades University Boca Raton, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $27,371 | $21,680 | $25,556 | 59% | $59,470 |
| 14 | Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $28,354 | $40,650 | $25,570 | 57% | $54,983 |
| 15 | Florida Southern College Lakeland, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $28,551 | $44,040 | $23,624 | 70% | $58,753 |
| 16 | Webber International University Babson Park, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $29,529 | $33,770 | $27,801 | 27% | $50,359 |
| 17 | AdventHealth University Orlando, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $30,135 | $21,420 | $28,845 | 37% | $79,607 |
| 18 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $30,371 | $38,700 | $26,603 | 64% | $81,582 |
| 19 | Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $30,498 | $25,056 | $29,143 | 58% | $51,106 |
| 20 | Flagler College Saint Augustine, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $30,525 | $29,900 | $21,733 | 56% | $52,031 |
| 21 | Southeastern University Lakeland, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $31,942 | $32,950 | $29,498 | 43% | $50,572 |
| 22 | Rollins College Winter Park, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $34,732 | $60,580 | $27,177 | 76% | $65,488 |
| 23 | Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $35,639 | $45,900 | $29,108 | 64% | $90,403 |
| 24 | The University of Tampa Tampa, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $36,211 | $34,408 | $30,011 | 63% | $62,720 |
| 25 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $37,244 | $62,616 | $15,978 | 84% | $85,019 |
| 26 | Eckerd College Saint Petersburg, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $38,071 | $51,884 | $29,615 | 67% | $48,651 |
| 27 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $41,272 | $44,249 | $36,238 | 67% | $93,582 |
| 28 | Lynn University Boca Raton, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $44,089 | $44,480 | $40,711 | 52% | $53,587 |
| 29 | Beacon College Leesburg, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $53,517 | $51,680 | $47,601 | 59% | $29,712 |
| 30 | Ringling College of Art and Design Sarasota, FL Private nonprofit · 4-year | $57,742 | $57,900 | $47,261 | 71% | $49,311 |
How to compare these colleges
Do not rule out a private college because of its sticker price. Private colleges often discount heavily, and the net price shown here is what students who receive aid pay on average, including housing and books. Your own offer depends on your family income and the school's aid policy, so run each college's net price calculator and compare actual award letters.
Guides worth reading first
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Same list in nearby states
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All 110 colleges in Florida See the national version of this ranking