2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Florida
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Education Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Florida Online the best value for a degree in general education in Florida. University Of Florida Online is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Gainesville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,876, while out-of-state students pay about $16,579. Students borrow a median of $17,779 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $43,822. Set against $17,779 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Florida Online admits about 61% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Florida earned it the #2 place for general education. Set in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,381, compared with $28,659 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,669 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $58,388. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 24% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general education will find it at Florida Atlantic University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,879 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,474 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $38,928. That is a strong return on a $18,474 median debt. Florida Atlantic University admits about 66% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Florida Gulf Coast University earned it the #4 place for general education. Florida Gulf Coast University is a large public school located in the suburb of Fort Myers. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,118, with out-of-state students paying around $25,162. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $20,755. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Florida Gulf Coast University generally make around $38,392. Set against $20,755 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Central Florida is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general education, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of Central Florida is a very large public school located in the suburb of Orlando. In-state tuition and fees average $6,368, while out-of-state students pay about $22,467. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $21,620. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from University Of Central Florida generally make around $61,179. Set against $21,620 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 40%.
Saint Leo University landed the #6 spot for general education value this year. Set in the town of Saint Leo, Saint Leo University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $30,000. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $32,116. Early-career general education graduates make about $56,824. That is a strong return on a $32,116 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Atlantis University placed #7 among the best values for general education. Located in the city of Miami, Atlantis University is a small private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,820. Early-career general education graduates make about $47,333.
Nova Southeastern University earned the #8 position for value in general education this year. Nova Southeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Fort Lauderdale. Students from in state pay about $38,700 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $25,021. General Education graduates of Nova Southeastern University earn a median of $72,724 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,021 median debt. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
