Almost all the oldest universities in the United States are private colleges. Harvard and St. John’s College, for example, were founded before the 18th century and boast alumni and founders, respectively, who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Stacker compiled a list of the best private colleges in Florida, using data from Niche released in 2024. Niche ranks schools based on a variety of factors including academics, value for money, professors, campus, and diversity.
Private institutions today remain distinguished from other types of institutions by their source of funding. While public colleges and universities are at least partially subsidized by state government funding, private institutions are funded by tuition dollars, endowments, grants, and donations. As a result, private schools tend to be more expensive: The average tuition for full-time in-state undergraduate students at public four-year colleges was $11,260, and $29,150 for out-of-state students in 2023, while average tuition for students attending private four-year institutions was $41,540, according to the College Board’s 2023 Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid report.
Private and public schools play important roles in the postsecondary landscape, offering top-tier education and valuable opportunities outside the classroom. But some characteristics of private institutions—namely size, reputation, and flexibility—make them more appealing to prospective students.
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