Did You Know Florida Has Some of the Top Colleges?

The U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Colleges list is filled with schools across the Sunshine State. And while big names such as Harvard, Princeton and Yale top the list of national universities, Stetson University in DeLand deserves a big tip of the hat for making the top 5 of Regional Universities in the South at No. 4.

Daytona Beach’s Embry Riddle Aeronautical University wasn’t far behind at No. 6.

Up in St. Johns County, Flagler College in St. Augustine is ranked third among the Best Regional Colleges in the South, tied with Beacon College in Leesburg.

Florida’s big schools – the University of Florida and Florida State University – ranked 6th and 23rd on the list of Top Public Schools.

According to a media release from U.S. News & World Report, this year’s rankings placed a greater emphasis on social mobility and outcomes for graduating college students.

More than 50% of an institution’s rank now comprises varying outcome measures related to success in enrolling and graduating students from all backgrounds with manageable debt and post-graduate success. In addition, five factors were removed: class size, faculty with terminal degrees, alumni giving, high school class standing and the proportion of graduates who borrow federal loans, according to the release.