Which Florida colleges have the state’s highest completion rates?

Andrew Marra, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read

One important measure of a college’s effectiveness is how well it does at getting students over the finish line to earn their degree.

Students fail to complete their degrees for a variety of reasons, some of which are outside their schools’ control. But other challenges can be managed with the right support, experts say.

Nationwide, completion rates rose substantially in the years before the pandemic, an improvement Inside Higher Ed credited to “a new commitment to student success services, such as tailored advising for underrepresented student groups and wraparound services for those who are struggling financially.”

More: These Florida colleges have the state's lowest admission rates. Some might surprise you.

In Florida, degree completion rates vary substantially. Some of the state’s highest regarded schools have rates over 80%, while some schools rate below 60%.

The U.S. Department of Education defines completion rates as the portion of students who earn a degree within 150% of the normal time for doing so. For a bachelor's degree, that would mean within six years of enrolling at the school.

Here are the 20 Florida schools with the highest completion rates in 2021. This list includes only Florida schools accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

More: Which Florida colleges have the biggest gender gaps in enrollment?

Century Tower on the University of Florida campus in November. UF has one of Florida's highest degree-completion rates.
Century Tower on the University of Florida campus in November. UF has one of Florida's highest degree-completion rates.

Florida colleges with the highest degree completion rates

1. St. John Vianney College Seminary, 100%

2. University of Florida, 91%

3. University of Miami, 84%

4. Florida State University, 83%

5. Ringling College of Art and Design, 80%

6. University of Central Florida, 75%

7. University of South Florida, 75%

8. Rollins College, 71%

9. Beacon College, 68%

10. Eckerd College, 68%

11. Florida Southern College, 68%

12. University of North Florida, 67%

13. Florida International University, 67%

14. Florida Institute of Technology, 66%

15. New College of Florida, 66%

16. Stetson University, 63%

17. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach, 62%

18. The University of Tampa, 62%

19. Ave Maria University, 61%

20. Palm Beach Atlantic University, 61%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: UF, UM, FSU among Florida schools with highest completion rates