by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which grad school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top Florida Colleges for a Doctorate ranking - to help you make that decision.
Jump to Any of the Following Sections: * Our Methodology
We analyzed 24 grad schools across Florida to determine which have the best doctorate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best grad schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a graduateschool is to look at the average salary of doctorate graduates during the early years of their career. A doctorate degree holder from a school in Florida makes an average starting salary of $69,244, but the students who attended schools in the top 17 of our list make an average of $70,217.
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that graduate students take on while they are working on their doctorate degree. We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty doctorate recipients will have paying back their loans.
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking. Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
Find out more about our graduate school ranking methodology
Still not sure what graduate degree you wish to pursue? You may want to visit our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our analysis found University of Florida to be the best grad school for doctorate degrees in Florida in this year’s ranking. University of Florida is a large public school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 1,778 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from UF is $73,660 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Miami. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. Located in Coral Gables, Florida, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 861 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from U Miami is $67,960 during the early years of their career.
The excellent doctorate degree programs at Nova Southeastern University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Florida. NUS Florida is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,622 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $76,324 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. Daytona Beach, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
Learn More About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida State University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 747 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Florida State is $59,934 during the early years of their career.
Florida Institute of Technology ranked #6 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. Melbourne, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 83 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Florida Tech make an average of $67,647 a year.
With a ranking of #7, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. UCF is located in Orlando, Florida and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 510 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $69,496 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #8, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. UNF is located in Jacksonville, Florida and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 146 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from UNF is $88,580 during the early years of their career.
University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking, coming in at #9. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large public school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 717 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from USF Tampa make an average of $73,616 a year.
Read full report on University of South Florida - Main Campus
Florida International University landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Florida International University is a large public school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 603 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from FIU make an average of $61,139 a year.
The University of West Florida came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. UWF is a fairly large public school situated in Pensacola, Florida. It awarded 21 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking, coming in at #12. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and it awarded 88 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale go into careers with an average salary of $67,975 during the early years of their career.
Southeastern University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. SEU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lakeland, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 43 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Saint Leo University landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Saint Leo, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.
Jacksonville University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. JU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 46 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #16, Palm Beach Atlantic University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 76 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Palm Beach Atlantic make an average of $95,539 a year.
Barry University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Miami, Florida, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 317 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Barry University make an average of $71,910 per year during the early years of their career.
Florida Gulf Coast University landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Florida Gulf Coast University is a fairly large public school located in Fort Myers, Florida that handed out 56 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #19, St. Thomas University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Miami Gardens, Florida, and it awarded 231 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,055 during the early years of their career.
Florida Atlantic University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Located in Boca Raton, Florida, the large public school awarded 198 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from FAU go into careers with an average salary of $73,125 during the early years of their career.
Stetson University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Located in DeLand, Florida, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 261 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Stetson go into careers with an average salary of $47,613 during the early years of their career.
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate degrees to 304 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $66,444 during the early years of their career.
Learn More About Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Florida Southern College landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Florida Southern is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lakeland, Florida. It awarded 9 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Lynn University landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Boca Raton, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Lynn University Fighting Knights make an average of $87,681 per year during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.