Florida
Student Access & Success
Florida’s four-year institutions are among the nation’s leaders in credentials produced per 100 full-time equivalent undergraduates, the percentage of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants, and retention rate. The state’s two-year institutions score very high marks in credentials produced per 100 full-time equivalent undergraduates, completion rate, and retention rate, though the state performs much worse in the percentage of Pell recipients.
Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness
Florida receives a good grade in this area for four-year institutions, with a cost per completion of $46,071, which is the best of all states, and a state and local funding per completion ($41,647) slightly above the national median of $41,198. Florida’s two-year institutions fare even better with a cost per completion ($38,146) and state and local funding per completion ($21,115) in the top five of all states.
Meeting Labor Market Demand
The median wage of a Florida bachelor’s degree holder is approximately $17,400 (or 61%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate for a bachelor’s degree holder is about 5 points lower. The median wage of an associate’s degree holder is approximately $8,900 (or 31%) more than the median wage of a high school graduate; the overall unemployment rate is about 3 points lower.
Transparency & Accountability
Florida’s consumer information source does not include information on student outcomes; however, its public accountability report contains information on learning and labor market outcomes as well as system efficiency, with all goals benchmarked over time to both state and external targets. Florida does not measure student learning outcomes. However, it is a national leader in tracking student labor market outcomes. The Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program data collection and consumer reporting system looks at the percentage of graduates who are employed or are continuing school for both four- and two-year graduates.
Policy Environment
Florida’s 2012–2025 strategic plan for higher education has clear goals with empirical targets including student outcomes and system efficiency. Florida has a small outcomes-based funding policy for two-year institutions but there is not a comparable system for four-year institutions. Finally, the state has an impressive articulation and credit transfer policy, including a statewide course numbering system.
Innovation
The Florida Distance Learning Consortium is a robust portal with a range of online courses and degree programs available at public and private institutions within the state. Regarding regulating new providers, Florida has fairly restrictive regulations, resulting in a low grade.
Report Card
Compare with
Four-Year Institutions
FL Nat'l| Student Access & Success | A |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 47.6 | 30.8 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 86.2 | 77.9 |
| Completion Rate | 60.4 | 54.5 |
| Completions per 100 FTE Students | 23.9 | 19.7 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 4 | |
| Complete College America | * |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | B |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $46,071 | $68,140 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $41,647 | $41,198 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $57,763 | $76,932 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined Measure (5-point scale) | 4 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | C |
|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $17,439 | $17,881 |
|---|---|---|
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 161.1 | 156.0 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $14,538 | $12,703 |
| BA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 158.2 | 149.9 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 1.9 | 2.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 7.8 | 7.1 |
| BA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 2.5 | 2.9 |
| Transparency & Accountability | C |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | true | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 4 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
Two-Year Institutions
FL Nat'l| Student Access & Success | A |
|---|
| Percentage of Pell Grant Recipients | 34.3 | 46.9 |
|---|---|---|
| Retention Rate | 65.7 | 58.6 |
| Completion Rate | 37.0 | 20.5 |
| Completions Per 100 FTE Undergraduates | 21.0 | 16.8 |
| Risk-Adjusted Completion Points (5-point Scale) | 5 |
| Efficiency & Cost-Effectiveness | A |
|---|
| Cost Per Completion | $38,146 | $57,210 |
|---|---|---|
| State and Local Funding Per Completion | $21,115 | $35,476 |
| State, Local, and Tuition Funding Per Completion | $29,582 | $52,512 |
| Cost Per Completion and Public Funding Combined MeasureCombined Measure (5-point Scale) | 5 |
| Meeting Labor Market Demand | C |
|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (Overall) | $8,912 | $8,545 |
|---|---|---|
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (Overall) | 131.2 | 126.1 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Gap (25–34) | $7,000 | $6,595 |
| AA vs. HS Wage Ratio (25–34) | 128.0 | 125.0 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (Overall) | 3.2 | 2.7 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (Overall) | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Gap (25–34) | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| AA vs. HS Unemployment Ratio (25–34) | 1.59 | 1.84 |
| Transparency & Accountability | C |
|---|
| Transparency—Public Accountability (5-point Scale) | 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency—Consumer Information (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Does the State Report Labor Market Outcomes? | true | |
| Labor Market Outcomes (4-point Scale) | 4 | |
| Does the State Report Student Learning Outcomes? | false | |
| Student Learning Outcomes (3-point Scale) | 0 |
State
FL Nat'l| Policy Environment | B |
|---|
| State Goals (6-point Scale) | 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Does the State Have Outcomes-Based Funding? | true | |
| Four-Year Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 0 | |
| Two-Years Outcomes-Based Funding (3-point Scale) | 2 | |
| Does the State Have a Credit Transfer Policy? | true | |
| Credit Transfer Policy (5-point Scale) | 5 |
| Innovation: Openness to Providers | D |
|---|
| Numerical Openness to New Providers Grade | 59% | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Jurisdiction | 50% | |
| Financial Burden | 67% | |
| Approval Process Burden | 60% |
| Innovation: Online Learning | A |
|---|
| Numerical Online Learning Grade | 100.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Online Learning Score (7-point Scale) | 7 |
State Facts at a Glance
- Number of Public Four-Year Institutions 14
- Number of Public Two-Year Institutions 62
- Number of Students Served by Public Four-Year Institutions 218,257
- Number of Students Served by Public Two-Year Institutions 374,662