The State University System of Florida has announced that several of its universities have received national recognition in the 2025 College Guide and Rankings published by Washington Monthly.
Chancellor Ray Rodrigues commented on the achievement, stating, “This year, Florida’s universities are once again recognized as world-class institutions. The Washington Monthly rankings point to key strategies that make our institutions national leaders in higher education: low-cost, high-value degrees, a focus on ensuring students have clear, immediate pathways to careers or continued education, and merit-based aid that supports high-achieving students in reaching their higher education goals. Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, we have prioritized quality education over indoctrination, holding our universities to the highest standards in every aspect, from curriculum to faculty, so that students and their families can feel confident in their decision to join the best State University System in the nation.”
Washington Monthly evaluates colleges based on criteria such as access for students from diverse backgrounds, affordability of tuition and other costs, and outcomes including graduation rates and post-graduation success.
Two Florida universities—University of Central Florida and Florida Atlantic University—were listed among the top 25 Best-in-Class Colleges nationally. In addition to these honors, several State University System institutions ranked highly across multiple categories:
In the Southeast region’s “Best Bang for the Buck” list:
– Florida International University was ranked first.
– University of Central Florida took second place.
– New College of Florida placed third.
– Other system schools appearing within the top 50 included Florida Atlantic University (#5), University of Florida (#6), University of South Florida (#8), Florida State University (#13), University of North Florida (#18), Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (#33), University of West Florida (#36), and Florida Gulf Coast University (#46).
For “Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars,”
– Florida International University was ranked eighth,
– followed by the University of Central Florida at seventeenth,
– New College of Florida at twenty-fifth,
– with additional system schools represented throughout the top 100.
Other distinctions noted include:
– The University of Florida placed among the top 30 Best Colleges for Research.
– Several universities—including FIU, FSU, UCF, and USF—were recognized among the top 100 research colleges.
– New College of Florida was listed in the top ten Liberal Arts Colleges.
– The University of West Florida appeared among the top 75 Master’s Universities.
The full rankings are available through Washington Monthly’s website at https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025-college-guide/.
