Finding a good school is quite hard especially since there are a lot of them out there. However, the real challenge starts with finding cheap colleges and universities with quality educational systems. You want an institution that you can learn a lot from but at the same time, something that you can definitely afford.
There are a lot of cheap schools in Florida that you can check out although the prices of the tuition vary whether you are in-state, out-of-state, or if you are an international student. Here are some of the colleges that you can take a good look at.
Cheap Universities and Colleges in Florida
1. Broward College
- In-State Tuition Fees – $ 130.89 per credit hour
- Out-of-State Tuition Fees – $ 589.45 per credit hour
- International Tuition Fees – $ 589 per credit hour
Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Broward College is an affordable public college offering vocational qualifications, associate degrees, and four-year bachelor’s degrees. Consisting of three campuses, Broward College provides education to over 63,000 students every year. It also has four international education centers that provide education up to associate degree level to overseas students.
With over 5,000 faculty and staff members and an endowment of $75 million, Broward provides high-quality education, despite the relatively low tuition fees charged. Its athletics program is particularly noteworthy. Prominent alumni include rocker Marilyn Manson, actress Nancy Valen, and novelist Rita Mae Brown.
2. Santa Fe College
Established in 1965, Santa Fe College is a cheap college located in Gainesville, Florida. Its main campus is situated in the northeast part of Gainsville. Although the academic focus is on associate degrees in technology and the applied sciences, the school also offers associate degrees in the liberal arts and nine bachelor’s degrees.
Santa Fe College has an enrollment of over 22,000 students, most of whom are studying part-time. Students can use a $10 million library which includes a conference room, computerized classrooms, DVD viewing stations, 87 computers, and a comprehensive online catalog of books and other media. Santa Fe College has won numerous awards for the excellence of its academic programs.
3. College of Central Florida
Ranked among the top 5% colleges in the United States for affordability, the College of Central Florida has campuses in the counties of Marion, Levy, and Citrus. It also operates the Appleton Museum of Art and a 103-acre farm. The school offers certificate programs along with associate and bachelor’s degrees.
The College of Central Florida was founded in 1957 and is a member of the Florida College System. Over 10,000 students are enrolled at the college, with most of them studying the Associate in Arts program. The College of Central Florida has a highly successful athletics program with notable successes in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, and women’s volleyball.
4. Miami Dade College
- In-State Tuition Fees – $ 91.79 per credit hour
- Out-of-State Tuition Fees – $ 448.79 per credit hour
- International Tuition Fees – $ 448.79 per credit hour
Miami Dade College was founded in 1959 and is located in Miami, Florida. With over 165,000 students, it is the cheapest college in Florida and the second-largest college in the United States. Miami Dade College consists of eight campuses along with two additional centers. It also hosts the School of Advanced Studies which enables high schools students to earn an associate degree along with their high school diploma. The main campus is the Wolfson campus situated in downtown Miami.
While the academic focus is on the associate programs, the school also offers three bachelor’s degrees. Miami Dade College also has noteworthy sports programs in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s baseball, and women’s volleyball. Famous alumni include the former President of Panama Mireya Moscoso, Harvard Law professor Jose Baez and the actors Sylvester Stallone, Steven Bauer, and Oscar Isaac.
5. Pensacola State College
- In-State Tuition Fees – $ 120.89 per credit hour
- Out-of-State Tuition Fees – $ 486.49 per credit hour
- International Tuition Fees – $ 486.49 per credit hour
Established in 1948, Pensacola State College is one of Florida’s oldest colleges. The college includes an adult high school and offers vocational courses along with associate and degree programs. Over 34,000 students are enrolled at the college which has six campuses. They can choose from more than 100 programs and can also avail themselves of the latest high-tech resources.
To accommodate students with diverse needs, Pensacola State College offers courses during the day and night and also online. The college offers online bachelor’s degrees that have been highly lauded. If you want to study at one of the cheap universities in Florida, this is one! It also has noteworthy athletics programs in basketball, volleyball, baseball, and softball.
6. Palm Beach State College
- In-State Tuition Fees – $ 122.85 per credit hour
- Out-of-State Tuition Fees – $ 558.00 per credit hour
- International Tuition Fees – $ 558.00 per credit hour
Established in 1933, Palm Beach State College is a cheap state college in Florida with almost 50,000 students. Its main campus is located in Palm Beach County, Florida along with additional campuses at five different locations. Its largest campus is at Lake Worth. The college’s large student body is enrolled in over 100 programs, including courses leading to associate and bachelor’s degrees. The associate in arts degree remains the most popular program with the nursing program also attracting a large number of students.
The college athletics teams are nicknamed the panthers and have achieved noteworthy successes in baseball. Famous people who have studied at Palm Beach State College include the actors Burt Reynolds and Judge Reinhold, Olympic Gold Medalist Yolanda Griffiths, and Olympian Chrysti Bustos.
7. Daytona State College
- In-State Tuition Fees – $ 79.22 per credit hour
- Out-of-State Tuition Fees – $ 311.18 per credit hour
- International Tuition Fees – $ 311.18 per credit hour
Founded in 1957, Daytona State College is a part of the Florida College System. Over 30,000 students study at the college, which is located in Daytona Beach Florida. Students can pursue associate and bachelor’s degrees accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Daytona State College is very active in athletics with eight NJCAA Team National Championship titles to its name. The school has especially noteworthy programs in baseball, basketball, swimming, and women’s golf. Olympian Tiffany Chan and NBA basketball player Solomon Jones are alumni of this college.
8. Eastern Florida State College
There are a lot of different programs for bachelor’s degrees as well as associate’s degrees in Eastern Florida State College. They offer both a good space center for aspiring adults as well as a virtual campus for people who lives far from Florida and would prefer not to go to the campus. It has an average of 15,000 students per year.
9. Valencia College
- In-State Tuition (per credit hour): $103.06
- Out-of-State Tuition (per credit hour): $390.96
- International Student Tuition (per credit hour): $390.96
- College Link
Valencia College in Florida prides itself in having a good reputation of having their student succeed in the field they are in. This is because of the good learning environment that they were exposed to in college. This cheap college in Florida is known for being able to provide a good quality of education at an affordable price for everyone who applies to them.
10. Gulf Coast State College
The next cheap college in Florida is the Gulf Coast State College, which is a public institution that provides its constituents with good training, high-quality education, and a lot of different enrichment programs to develop skills in their students. They also offer affordable rates for their tuition to be able to be more inducive for the people who want to study in the college.
11. Northwest Florida State College
A public community college that hosts about 15,000 students; that is what Northwest Florida State College is. It is a good place that offers good quality of education, a lot of different courses as well as affordable prices that are sure to be enticing. Their faculty-to-student ratio is about 1:26 and this is the optimal size for learning in small classes too.
12. State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota
The largest and the oldest college in its region, the State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota is certainly one of the best there is. This cheap college in Florida has a suburban type of setting and provides not only affordable prices but also good quality education that really meets the demands and expectations of the students.
13. Florida State College at Jacksonville
The Florida State College at Jacksonville offers a lot of different bachelor’s degrees that are within the best budget rate. It is among the top-ranking colleges in Florida. This cheap college in Florida is known for being an institution that really puts importance in values and beliefs. It is student-friendly and their price is relatively low.
14. College of the Florida Keys
The College of the Florida Keys or CFK is known to be a small institution but has a lot of different majors that are quite popular such as liberal arts, criminal sciences, and more. It offers a lot of different programs that you can check out on their online sites as well.
Florida has many colleges and universities that will appeal to students looking for cheap tuition fees. While the fees are especially low for in-state students, they are also affordable for out-of-state and international students. With its great climate, it is not surprising that Florida remains a very popular destination for students.
We hope that this article on cheap universities in Florida was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs for International Students!
