U.S. News & World Report has released its 2026 ranking of the best universities in the nation.
The news comes as the state of Florida received the outlet’s top ranking for higher education, drawing out a reaction from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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“Florida has held the No. 1 spot in higher education for 10 years in a row, and we have much more to do,” DeSantis said. “Florida’s public universities offer the lowest in-state tuition in the country, allowing students to receive a quality education without a massive debt burden.”
But this year, the state managed to accrue seven public universities within the top 100 nationwide, which puts Florida among only two states for the number of public institutions ranked within this bracket.
These universities were identified as follows:
- University of Florida — Ranked No. 7 among public universities, and the top public university for graduating students on time
- Florida State University — Ranked No. 21 among public universities
- University of South Florida — Ranked No. 43 among public universities, and No. 19 for most innovative schools
- Florida International University — Ranked No. 46 among public universities, and No. 1 for upward economic mobility
- University of Central Florida — Ranked No. 57 among public universities
- Florida A&M University — Ranked No. 92 among public universities, and No. 1 public HBCU nationwide for seven consecutive years
- Florida Atlantic University — Ranked No. 100 among public universities in its inaugural debut among the top 100 listed
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Sunshine State as a whole at No. 1 when it comes to higher education, largely thanks to its graduation rates at both 2- and 4-year colleges.
In addition, the outlet reports that students attending public, 4-year colleges in Florida face some of the lowest average costs nationwide for in-state tuition and fees.
Meanwhile, the top 14 Florida universities in the nation (both private and public) were ranked as follows:
| State Rank | Nat’l Rank | University | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | University of Florida | Gainesville |
| 2 | 51 | Florida State University | Tallahassee |
| 3 | 64 | University of Miami | Coral Gables |
| 4 | 88 | University of South Florida | Tampa |
| 5 | 97 | Florida International University | Miami |
| 6 | 117 | University of Central Florida | Orlando |
| 7 | 169 | Florida A&M University | Tallahassee |
| 8 | 183 | Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton |
| 9 | 222 | University of North Florida | Jacksonville |
| 10 | 232 | Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne |
| 11 | 257 | Nova Southeastern University | Ft. Lauderdale |
| 12 | 318 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Ft. Myers |
| 13 | 363 | Keiser University | Ft. Lauderdale |
| 14 | 384 | Palm Beach Atlantic University | West Palm Beach |