Jacksonville, Florida Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Jacksonville, Florida shows: median public in-state tuition $15,733 (+185.4% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $56,343 (+3.7% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.1% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $13,000 (-3.2% vs U.S.) 41,036 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 21 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 41,036 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $15,733 (+185.4% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $56,343 (+3.7% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.1% (-0.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $21,981 (+120.5% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $13,000 (-3.2% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 35.5%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 62.5%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Jacksonville, Florida—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Florida and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Jacksonville vs Florida & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, Florida | $15,733 | $21,981 | $13,000 | 35.5% | 41,036 |
| Florida (state median) | $3,110 | $7,247 | $13,000 | 53.6% | 857,173 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Jacksonville, Florida vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, Florida | $56,343 | 87.1% | 62.5% | 5.2% | — | 65.6% | 0.30 |
| Florida (state median) | $49,137 | 82.9% | 75.6% | 5.5% | — | 65.9% | 0.42 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Florida (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, Florida | $15,733 | $21,981 | $13,000 | 35.5% | 41,036 | $56,343 | 87.1% |
| Orlando | $17,408 | $19,775 | $13,048 | 38.9% | 110,169 | $65,295 | 83.1% |
| Miami | $15,868 | $18,120 | $9,500 | 54.8% | 107,560 | $55,966 | 84.7% |
| Tampa | $18,145 | $19,484 | $13,000 | 48.9% | 74,134 | $40,092 | 79.2% |
| Gainesville | $5,128 | $15,692 | $15,000 | 84.7% | 52,208 | $71,588 | 88.7% |
| Gainesville | $5,128 | $15,692 | $15,000 | 84.7% | 52,208 | $71,588 | 88.7% |
| Tallahassee | $5,720 | $11,297 | $13,500 | 53.3% | 51,736 | $53,012 | 89.1% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $25,056 | $22,838 | $24,149 | 61.0% | 50,305 | $46,933 | 80.6% |
| Daytona Beach | $14,794 | $15,378 | $23,666 | 36.9% | 29,907 | $84,131 | 85.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Jacksonville, Florida
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 3 | $37,275 | 87.1% | 56.7% | 5.2% | — | 45.6% |
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 69.2%, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 50.6%, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 33.3%, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 28.2%, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 87.1%, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 87.1%, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 86.7%, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
-
Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 86.5%, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
Top 10 most selective colleges in Jacksonville, Florida (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 53.2%, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 56.9%, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 85.0%, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 90.9%, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $83,188, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $78,924, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $76,508, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $35,282, Trinity Baptist College
Trinity Baptist College
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $96,132, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $94,692, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $89,191, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $46,933, Trinity Baptist College
Trinity Baptist College
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $84,533, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $61,991, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $46,546, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $29,809, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $88,361, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $69,711, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $51,315, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $32,493, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $92,405, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $68,010, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $56,343, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $34,782, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $294,434, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $205,198, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $203,148, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $93,972, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $82,630, Trinity Baptist College
Trinity Baptist College
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Jacksonville, Florida (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $10,154, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 2, Net Price, $13,649, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
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Rank 3, Net Price, $20,011, Trinity Baptist College
Trinity Baptist College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $25,180, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 5, Net Price, $31,269, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
Top 10 colleges in Jacksonville, Florida by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 84.7%, University of North Florida
University of North Florida
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 74.7%, Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 62.5%, Chamberlain University-Florida
Chamberlain University-Florida
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 53.8%, Edward Waters University
Edward Waters University
In-state tuition: Jacksonville, Florida vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Jacksonville, Florida median in-state tuition is $15,733, +185.4% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Jacksonville, Florida vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Jacksonville, Florida is $13,000 (-3.2% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Jacksonville, Florida vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Jacksonville, Florida center around $56,343 (+3.7% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Jacksonville, Florida vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.1% at the median Jacksonville, Florida campus (-0.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Jacksonville, Florida median public in-state tuition is $15,733, about +185.4% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +215.2%.
Median graduate debt is $13,000 (-3.2% below the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Jacksonville, Florida are $56,343, about +3.7% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 87.1% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-0.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 62.5% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 65.6% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of North Florida (87.1%), Edward Waters University (87.1%), Jacksonville University (86.7%), Chamberlain University-Florida (86.5%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Jacksonville, Florida, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $37,275 (3 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Jacksonville, Florida is 35.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Jacksonville?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 21 campuses in Jacksonville, Florida with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Jacksonville?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Jacksonville is $15,733 and median net price is $21,981. For Florida overall, medians are $3,110 and $7,247; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Jacksonville?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Jacksonville is $56,343 vs $49,137 for Florida and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Jacksonville colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Jacksonville is $13,000 vs $13,000 for Florida and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Jacksonville?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of North Florida (graduation) and Chamberlain University-Florida (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Jacksonville?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 21 campuses in Jacksonville, Florida, 1 historically Black college or university (HBCU, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Edward Waters University; 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: African Methodist Episcopal (1), Baptist (1).
Sources & related
- Florida college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON