When UF student Sarah Nguyen thinks of Florida’s universities, her mind quickly jumps to athletic programs, not necessarily academics.
So the 18-year-old was surprised when she heard Florida ranked No. 1 in the country for higher education over Ivy League schools.
The U.S. News and World Report ranked Florida No. 1 in higher education in a list re- leased March 3. The ranking was made in part from comparing Florida’s tuition rates to other states and students’ low debt at graduation, according to the report’s website. Utah came in second and California in third.
Nguyen said Florida schools are well-known for their athletic programs.
“The states with Ivy League schools up north are more selective,” said Nguyen, a UF health science freshman. “I would think they would’ve done better.”
The magazine ranked Florida second for low tuition and fees, third for a two-year graduation rate, 11th for low debt at graduation and 32nd for a four-year college graduation rate.
UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said UF’s tuition is the same as all public universities in Florida. UF has low fees in part because students don’t pay high athletic fees, since the program is self-sufficient, he said.
“We’re one of the only ones in the country that operates in the black,” he said. “Our program makes money.”
States ranked the best for higher education
- No 1. Florida
- No. 2 Utah
- No. 3 California
- No. 4 Wyoming
- No. 5 Washington
Contact Jimena Tavel at jtavel@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @taveljimena
