Governor Ron DeSantis announces Florida ranks #1 for higher education for 10th consecutive year
Press release from the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Today, Governor DeSantis announced Florida ranks #1 in Higher Education by U.S. News & World Report for the tenth consecutive year. Florida has held the number one spot in higher education for offering the lowest in-state tuition and fees, graduating students on time, and ensuring students complete their degrees with minimal to no debt. Florida remained #1 for lowest tuition and fees and rose to #1 for 4-year college graduation rates.
“Florida has held the #1 spot in higher education for ten years in a row, and we have much more to do,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “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. More than three-quarters of Florida students graduate loan-free, and we ranked #1 for four-year graduation rates. With seven Florida institutions in the top 100 public universities nationwide, we’ve proven that academic achievement does not have to break the bank.”
For the 2026 rankings, Florida has placed a record-breaking seven institutions in the top 100 public universities nationwide. This puts Florida in the top 2 states for the number of public institutions ranked in the top 100 in the nation. Additionally, seven Florida institutions rank in the top 100 for best public colleges for veterans nationwide.
University highlights that support the State University System include:
University of Florida ranked:
- #7 among public universities nationwide and has been in the top 10 for eight consecutive years.
- #30 among all universities, public and private.
- UF excels through research, with more than 400 patents produced in the past three years and annual research expenditures exceeding $1 billion.
- Ranked #1 public university in the nation by the Wall Street Journal for graduating students on time, providing the lowest net cost, and impacting salary performance after graduation.
University of South Florida ranked:
- #43 among public universities nationwide — up 2 spots from the previous year.
- #12 best value public universities in the nation.
- #19 most innovative schools in the nation.
Florida Atlantic University made its debut on the top 100 public universities list for 2026 (#100)—up three spots from the previous year.
Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University ranked:
- #92 among public universities nationwide.
- #1 public HBCU in the nation for seven consecutive years.
Florida International University ranked:
- #46 among public universities nationwide.
- #1 in the nation for upward economic mobility.
New College of Florida ranked:
- #10 among public liberal arts colleges nationwide.
Florida Polytechnic University ranked:
- #1 for regional public colleges in the South for five consecutive years.
- #2 regional college among both public and private universities.
- #3 best value public schools in the South.
Florida State University ranked:
- #21 among public universities nationwide — up 2 spots from the previous year.
- #12 public universities in the nation for first-year experiences.
University of Central Florida ranked:
- #57 among public universities nationwide — up 4 spots from the previous year.
University of West Florida ranked:
- #6 for regional public universities in the South — up 4 spots from the previous year.
Not for long.
“In a Faculty in the South survey conducted by various conferences of the American Association of University Professors, 31% of Florida respondents said they have applied for a job outside of Florida since 2023. That number was 25% among all survey respondents in the South.
….“The governor of Florida threatens at every turn to take funding away so administration at colleges don’t stand up to him or board of education.
…..“Students report any classroom discussion they don’t like directly to the Governor’s office. Everyone is afraid all the time,” one woman teaching at a public four-year school wrote. “I have stopped teaching books that might be in any way controversial. I don’t open up general discussion in class but ask only direct questions that will elicit non-controversial answers.
…..One professor said that since the state and federal government have made illegal “a wide range of Constitutionally protected components of speech and expression,” “I must break the law in order to tell the truth. Because I’m hired to tell the truth, and because I’m much more committed to the truth than to the law, I break the law. This means I am expecting to be arrested in front of a classroom any day, for actions that are illegal only as a result of the right-wing fad of the most recent decade.”
Nearly three in four, 71%, of faculty in Florida who were surveyed said they would not encourage a graduate student to seek employment in Florida.
….Since 2023, professors in Florida with tenure have been subject to post-tenure review, graded on standards crafted by university trustees relating to research performance, teaching, service, and compliance with state laws and university policies.
Of the nearly-one-third who recently applied for an out-of-state job, tenure and DEI issues, academic freedom, the political climate, and cost of living were among the most common concerns.
Respondents said the number of applications for coworkers’ positions, as well as the quality of applicants, have decreased.
“Our department is trying to improve, but we have had several failed searches in recent years because candidates don’t want to move to Florida because of the broad political climate and the fact that tenure protections functionally no longer exist here,” a tenured public university professor said. ….”
https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/09/05/nearly-a-third-of-florida-professors-looking-for-work-in-another-state/
It’s only #1 regarding students and faculty who s*** u* to the woke badministrators who control the whole sorry US higher ed system.
Previously the envy of the world and destination for it’s best and brightest. Trump is ending that.
Berkeley, UCLA and UC San Diego all California schools ranked higher than UF. Just saying to our anti California Governor.