By Kevin Deutsch
A new analysis ranking Florida colleges by their overall value to students placed the University of Florida at the top of the pack.
The eighth annual Best Value Colleges study by SmartAsset, a consumer financial information site, compared colleges across five metrics, using scholarships, starting salary, tuition, living costs, and retention rate to determine the ‘Best Value Colleges’ in Florida.
The University of Florida ranked number one out of all colleges and universities statewide for the fifth consecutive year in the study. Florida State University ranked second and the University of Central Florida third.
Florida International University and the University of Miami ranked eighth and ninth, respectively.
The study used tuition and student living costs, like room and board, books, supplies, transportation, and other personal expenses to capture the general costs associated with attending each school, according to SmartAsset.
The factors were then compared to determine a student’s return on investment.
The study provides a trove of data, including numbers showing the percentage of students re-enrolling at each institution from year to year.
It also includes an average starting salary category, which shows the potential financial earnings of new graduates once they enter the workforce.
Additionally, scholarships and grants show the amount of financial backing colleges are endowing to their student body on a per-person basis, according to SmartAsset.
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