2023 Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools and bootcamps with offerings that you might find attractive.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. Our analysis looked at 48 schools in Florida to see which associate degree programs offered the best value experiences for students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Tallahassee Community College to be the best value school for students who want to pursue a associate degree in Florida. Tallahassee Community College is a fairly large public school located in Tallahassee, Florida that handed out 2,456 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Tallahassee Community College are $8,062 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $19,922 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Tallahassee Community College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 91% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Hillsborough Community College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. HCC is located in Tampa, Florida and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4,137 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at HCC are $9,111 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $19,707 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at HCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 88% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, HCC is ranked #4 for overall quality in Florida.
The excellent associate degree programs at Valencia College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value schools in Florida. Located in Orlando, Florida, the large public school handed out 9,246 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Valencia College are $9,383 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,714 in student loans.
Valencia College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 96% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St Petersburg College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. Located in Clearwater, Florida, the large public school handed out 4,371 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SPC are $9,286 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,838 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that SPC does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 87% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, SPC is ranked #5 for overall quality in Florida.
Out of the 48 schools in Florida that were part of this year’s value ranking, Indian River State College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Fort Pierce, Florida, the fairly large public school awarded 2,353 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Indian River State College are $10,201 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,642 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Indian River State College. In fact, around 79% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Indian River State College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Schools in Florida list.
Florida State College at Jacksonville did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. FSCJ is a large public school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 4,672 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
FSCJ undergraduate students pay an average of $9,631 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,510 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that FSCJ does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 89% took at least some of their classes online.
Santa Fe College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. Santa Fe College is a fairly large public school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 2,725 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Santa Fe College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,189 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $19,132 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Santa Fe College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 73% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Eastern Florida State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in Cocoa, Florida, the fairly large public school handed out 2,325 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
EFSC undergraduate students pay an average of $10,976 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $19,729 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that EFSC does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 93% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #9, Florida SouthWestern State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. FSW is located in Fort Myers, Florida and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,380 associate degrees to qualified students.
FSW undergraduate students pay an average of $12,979 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,085 in loans while pursuing their degree.
FSW does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 73% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
FSW did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our Best Associate Degree Schools in Florida list.
Saint Johns River State College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. Palatka, Florida is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,042 students in 2020-2021.
St. Johns River Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $10,347 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,613 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at St. Johns River Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 79% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #11, Broward College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. BC is a public institution located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6,700 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
BC undergraduate students pay an average of $8,952 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,682 in student loans.
Online courses are available at BC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 87% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #12, Miami Dade College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. This large public school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 11,464 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at MDC are $9,661 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,819 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at MDC. In fact, around 80% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
College of Central Florida did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #13 on the list. CF is located in Ocala, Florida and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,088 associate degrees to qualified students.
CF undergraduate students pay an average of $10,517 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,883 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that CF does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 92% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #14, Daytona State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. Daytona State College is located in Daytona Beach, Florida and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,332 associate degrees to qualified students.
Daytona State College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,994 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,832 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Daytona State College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, Daytona State College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Schools in Florida list.
Gulf Coast State College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking. This small public school is located in Panama City, Florida, and it awarded 697 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at GCSC are $8,635 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,380 in student loans.
GCSC does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 57% took at least some of their classes online.
Seminole State College of Florida did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Seminole State is a public institution located in Sanford, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,926 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Seminole State undergraduate students pay an average of $11,456 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,707 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Seminole State does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 88% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Seminole State also claimed a spot on our Best Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Pensacola State College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. Pensacola State College is a medium-sized public school located in Pensacola, Florida that handed out 1,630 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Pensacola State undergraduate students pay an average of $9,482 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,198 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Pensacola State. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 79% took at least some of their classes online.
Polk State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in Winter Haven, Florida, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,758 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Polk State are $12,271 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $15,235 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Polk State does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 90% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Polk State also is in the top 15% of our Best Associate Degree Schools in Florida ranking.
With a ranking of #19, Palm Beach State College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. Lake Worth, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 4,845 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Palm Beach State College are $10,910 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,428 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Palm Beach State College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 96% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Northwest Florida State College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree programs. Located in Niceville, Florida, the small public school awarded 817 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
NWFSC undergraduate students pay an average of $12,067 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $10,964 in loans while pursuing their degree.
NWFSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 78% took at least some of their classes online.
Chipola College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Florida list. Located in Marianna, Florida, the small public school awarded 250 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Chipola are $8,950 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,129 in student loans.
Chipola does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 64% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #22, North Florida College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. This small public school is located in Madison, Florida, and it awarded 236 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NFC are $11,460 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $12,980 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since NFC does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 73% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Pasco-Hernando State College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree programs. PHSC is located in New Port Richey, Florida and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,468 associate degrees to qualified students.
PHSC undergraduate students pay an average of $12,032 in tuition and fees each year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,342 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at PHSC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 98% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #24, Florida Gateway College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. This small public school is located in Lake City, Florida, and it awarded 504 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
FGC undergraduate students pay an average of $11,747 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,448 in student loans.
FGC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 73% took at least some of their classes online.
State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #25 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Bradenton, Florida, and it awarded 1,815 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota undergraduate students pay an average of $11,595 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $15,884 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota. In fact, around 90% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Read full report on State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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