Cost of Attending College in Florida: Tuition and Living Costs
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Apr 16, 2026 • US States & Cities
In-state tuition and fees at Florida's public universities run about $6,300 to $6,600 a year, while out-of-state students pay roughly $21,700 to $28,700 and that gap keeps growing. Private university tuition in Florida spans an even wider range, from under $40,000 to over $62,000 a year.
💵 University of Florida: $6,380 in-state, $30,900 out-of-state tuition and fees (2025-26)
Florida State University: $6,517 in-state, $21,683 out-of-state tuition and fees
Out-of-state tuition at UF and FSU is rising a combined 25% across 2025-26 and 2026-27
🏠 On-campus living costs at UF run about $16,330 a year on top of tuition
Private tuition ranges from about $40,200 at Nova Southeastern to $65,427 at University of Miami
Florida College System schools charge roughly $105-128 per credit hour for residents
Public university tuition: in-state vs out-of-state
Florida's 12 public universities charge Florida residents far less than out-of-state students. At the two flagships, published 2025-26 tuition and fees run as follows.
| University | In-state (annual) | Out-of-state (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Florida | $6,380 | $30,900 |
| Florida State University | $6,517 | $21,683 |
Source: College Tuition Compare, UF and FSU . Every SUS campus sets its own fee schedule, so check your specific university before you budget. Resident tuition across the system stays in a similar band while out-of-state rates vary more by campus.
Published tuition rarely equals what students actually pay. At UF, 84% of undergraduates receive grants or scholarships, with an average aid award of $10,123 a student, according to College Tuition Compare . Run your own numbers through each school's net price calculator rather than budgeting off the sticker price alone, since Bright Futures, federal grants, and institutional aid cut the real cost for most Florida residents.
Out-of-state costs are rising
Non-resident tuition at Florida's public universities is climbing faster than resident tuition. State lawmakers gave universities room to raise out-of-state rates, and UF and FSU are pushing non-resident fees up a combined 25% across 2025-26 and 2026-27, according to WLRN . If you plan to study in Florida from out of state, price in this increase rather than budget off last year's numbers.
Private university tuition varies widely
Florida's private colleges span a wide price range. Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale charges about $40,200 a year in tuition and fees for 2025-26, up from $38,700 in 2024-25. The University of Miami charges about $65,427 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, with a full on-campus cost of attendance near $97,774, according to College Tuition Compare figures for both schools.
Smaller private colleges across the state often price closer to the Nova Southeastern end of the range, while research-heavy private universities price closer to Miami. Check a specific college's own cost of attendance page rather than rely on a statewide average.
Living costs on top of tuition
Tuition is only part of the bill. At UF, the estimated cost of living on campus runs about $16,330 a year, which combined with resident tuition brings the full estimated cost of attendance to roughly $23,521 for Florida residents and $45,799 for out-of-state students living on campus, per College Tuition Compare . Living costs run higher in Miami, Orlando, and other large metro areas than in smaller college towns like Gainesville or Tallahassee, so factor your campus city into your housing budget.
The cheaper path: Florida's state and community colleges
Florida College System schools charge far less per credit hour. Florida State College at Jacksonville, for example, billed Florida residents $1,259 for 12 credit hours in 2025-26, about $105 per credit hour, according to FSCJ's tuition page . Statewide, Florida college tuition for residents averages around $128 per credit hour versus $458 for out-of-state students, per College Tuition Compare . Two years at a community college before transferring into an SUS university cuts your total four-year bill substantially. A standard 60-credit Associate in Arts degree at roughly $105-128 a credit hour runs about $6,300-$7,680 in tuition alone, well under the cost of two years of resident tuition at UF or FSU, before either path adds fees or living costs.
Building a realistic budget
💵 Add tuition, fees, housing, food, books, and transportation, not tuition alone.
🏠 Compare on-campus housing costs against off-campus rent in your specific city before you commit to a meal plan or dorm contract.
Out-of-state students should budget for continued tuition increases through at least 2026-27.
Community college transfer students save the most on the first two years of general education credits.
Run the net price calculator on each school's financial aid site before ruling out a private college on sticker price alone.