Colleges in Florida

Florida is known for its palm trees, warm weather and sandy beaches, which makes it an ideal destination for obtaining a college degree. There are over 500 universities and colleges in Florida. The Florida College System is comprised of 28 public colleges, including 12 four-year universities. Two of these - Florida State University in Tallahassee and the University of Florida in Gainesville - consistently rank as top schools not only in academics, but also in their university sports programs.

The state university program is governed by an elected chancellor and administered by the Florida Board of Governors, per an amendment to the state constitution. The Florida Department of Education is the association that oversees all public schools in Florida.

The University of Central Florida, in Orlando, Fla., is the largest in the entire state, with an annual enrollment of over 56,000 students. UCF offers bachelor through doctoral degrees, with emphasis in the fields of hospitality, engineering, education and health sciences.

The University of Florida is the second-largest Florida university, with just over 50,000 students. U of F is well known for programs in health and veterinary sciences, law, business and education. The Florida Gators consistently rank in the top of the NCAA Division 1 Southeastern Conference (SEC) in football, basketball and baseball. The team’s namesake also provided the name of the sports drink known as "Gatorade," which was developed on the UF campus.

The Florida State University is located in Florida's capital city, on a beautiful, sprawling tree-lined campus of brick buildings. The FSU Seminoles participate in the NCAA Division 1 Atlantic Coast Conference and are dominant contenders in football, baseball, and basketball. FSU is known for their liberal arts, social sciences, business and communication programs. Florida State is also one of the eminent graduate research schools in the nation.

Miami is home to the University of Miami, part of The Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida (ICUF). This association of Florida colleges is comprised of over 28 private colleges and universities. The University of Miami has one of the top marine biology programs in the country. Medicine, law and international education are also notable programs.

Rollins College, in Winter Park, Fla., is one of the most prestigious Florida colleges in the country. This private Florida school is affiliated with the ICUF and is often referred to as the "Harvard of the South." Rollins has more than 30 degrees in arts and sciences, with emphasis on the liberal arts. There is a history museum and a performing arts center on the campus.

There are also plenty of specialized schools in Florida. The Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach trains students for careers in aeronautics while the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota focuses on fine art and other art-related degrees. There are Florida colleges that focus on nursing and other medical sciences. There’s even a college that specializes in Oriental medicine. Florida schools have something for everyone in pursuit of higher education.

About Florida State

Florida is the peninsula state of America. Bordered on one side by the Gulf of Mexico and the other by the Atlantic Ocean, it has the nation’s longest coastline of approximately 1,350 miles. Nicknamed "The Sunshine State", Florida’s climate is sub-tropical and most of the state is at sea level. It is the 22nd largest state and has the fourth largest population as well as fourth largest economy.

The state's economic development is primarily driven by its 19 metropolitan areas. Of those areas, Jacksonville is the largest Florida city and Miami-Dade its largest metro area. Tourism is one of the biggest economic sectors, stimulated by the climate, the beaches and the theme parks. The Walt Disney World Resort area in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., which is just outside of Orlando, is home to four theme parks and is the largest vacation resort area in the world. Universal Studios Orlando, Sea World and Busch Gardens in Tampa draw millions of visitors every year to the Central Florida area.

Construction is another major industry in Florida. The many tourists that relocate from colder climates to enjoy the warm, sunny weather motivate development. The lack of a state personal income tax also fuels relocation. However, Florida suffered a huge financial shock during the real estate crash in 2008. The same climate that attracted so many "snow birds" was also responsible for some devastating hurricanes in 2004, and Hurricane Andrew, in 1992, was one of the costliest hurricanes in the nation, with the Miami area taking the brunt of this Category 5 storm.

A need to diversify economics was evident and former Governor Jeb Busch targeted the biomedical sector. Orlando became home to a huge biosciences cluster of development, along with technology spurred by the aerospace industry. Since NASA landed in Titusville in 1962, the Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach area became known as the "Space Coast". Florida has a sizable military presence, with 24 military bases, including Central Command in Tampa. The military gave rise to the defense industry, another major economic contributor.

Agriculture is the second largest state industry. Citrus is an important part of that industry, and most of the citrus fruit in the United States is grown in Florida. The state is also the largest contributor of sweet corn and green beans for the country. With all of its coastline, as well as its many lakes and the Everglades, fishing is a huge industry in Florida, employing over 60,000 people.

Florida's diverse population has made international banking another important economic area. The large Hispanic population is comprised of Cuban-Americans in Miami, Puerto Rico descendants in Orlando and Tampa, and Central America migrant workers inland in the agricultural regions. According to the 2010 US Census, over 22 percent of Florida's population is of Latin American heritage. Though the Hispanic segment is becoming more affluent, low wages in tourism, hospitality and agriculture made the state 27th in the nation in per capita income in 2011, with an average income of $39,500 per individual.