Lakeland, Florida Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Lakeland, Florida: median public in-state tuition $25,056 (+354.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $51,019 (-6.2% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 82.1% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $14,250 (+7.4% vs U.S.) 9,948 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 9 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 9,948 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $25,056 (+354.6% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $51,019 (-6.2% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 82.1% (-5.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $17,086 (+71.4% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $14,250 (+7.4% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,456
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 54.9%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 74.8%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Lakeland serve students across Florida with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 9 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 9,948 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $25,056. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Lakeland, Florida and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Lakeland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland, Florida | $25,056 | $17,086 | $14,250 | 54.9% | 9,948 |
| Florida (state median) | $3,110 | $7,247 | $13,000 | 53.0% | 855,761 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Lakeland, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland, Florida | $51,019 | 82.1% | 74.8% | 5.2% | — | 69.1% | 0.46 |
| Florida (state median) | $49,232 | 82.9% | 75.6% | 5.5% | — | 65.3% | 0.41 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland, Florida | $25,056 | $17,086 | $14,250 | 54.9% | 9,948 | $51,019 | 82.1% |
| Orlando | $17,408 | $18,176 | $13,097 | 38.9% | 110,503 | $65,295 | 83.1% |
| Miami | $15,868 | $18,120 | $9,500 | 54.8% | 107,556 | $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% |
| Jacksonville | $15,733 | $21,981 | $13,000 | 35.5% | 41,036 | $56,343 | 87.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top 3 colleges in Lakeland, 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, 70.5%, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 54.9%, Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 42.5%, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
Top 2 colleges in Lakeland, 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, 83.4%, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 80.9%, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
Top 3 most selective colleges in Lakeland, 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, 53.0%, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 57.5%, Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 64.4%, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
Top 3 colleges in Lakeland, 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, $75,019, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $70,612, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $70,375, Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University
Top 3 colleges in Lakeland, 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, $93,335, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $92,109, Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $61,909, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
Top 3 colleges in Lakeland, 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, $77,545, Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,749, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,314, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
Top 2 colleges in Lakeland, 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, $51,835, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,826, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
Top 2 colleges in Lakeland, 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, $55,294, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,744, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
Top 3 colleges in Lakeland, 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, $328,460, Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $115,480, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $48,529, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
Top 3 most affordable colleges in Lakeland, 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, $11,853, Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $28,551, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $31,942, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
Top 3 colleges in Lakeland, 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, 80.0%, Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 74.8%, Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 69.9%, Southeastern University
Southeastern University
In-state tuition: Lakeland, Florida vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Lakeland, Florida median in-state tuition is $25,056, +354.6% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Lakeland, Florida vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Lakeland, Florida is $14,250 (+7.4% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,456.
Median earnings (10 years out): Lakeland, Florida vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Lakeland, Florida center around $51,019 (-6.2% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Lakeland, Florida vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 82.1% at the median Lakeland, Florida campus (-5.8 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
Lakeland, Florida median public in-state tuition is $25,056, about +354.6% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +401.9%.
Median graduate debt is $14,250 (+7.4% above the U.S. median of $13,271). 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 Lakeland, Florida are $51,019, about -6.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 82.1% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (-5.8 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 74.8% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—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 69.1% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Southeastern University (83.4%), Florida Southern College (80.9%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Lakeland, Florida is 54.9% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Lakeland?
This city profile covers 9 campuses in Lakeland, Florida with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Lakeland?
Median in-state tuition in Lakeland is $25,056 and median net price is $17,086. For Florida overall, medians are $3,110 and $7,247; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Lakeland?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Lakeland is $51,019 vs $49,232 for Florida and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Lakeland colleges?
Median completer debt in Lakeland is $14,250 vs $13,000 for Florida and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Lakeland?
Top campuses on this page include Florida Southern College (graduation) and Florida Southern College (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Lakeland?
Among 9 campuses in Lakeland, Florida, 3 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Traviss Technical College, Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Lakeland, and Florida Polytechnic University; 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: United Methodist (1), Assemblies of God Church (1).
Sources & related
- Florida college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON