Fort Myers, Florida Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Fort Myers, Florida shows: median public in-state tuition $14,894 (+170.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $54,560 (+0.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 83.9% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $9,584 (-28.6% vs U.S.) 27,186 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 11 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 27,186 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $14,894 (+170.2% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,560 (+0.4% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 83.9% (-4.0 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $21,091 (+111.6% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $9,584 (-28.7% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 48.3%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 83.2%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Fort Myers, Florida—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Florida and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Fort Myers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers, Florida | $14,894 | $21,091 | $9,584 | 48.3% | 27,186 |
| 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: Fort Myers, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers, Florida | $54,560 | 83.9% | 83.2% | 4.3% | — | 72.3% | 0.32 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers, Florida | $14,894 | $21,091 | $9,584 | 48.3% | 27,186 | $54,560 | 83.9% |
| 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% |
| Jacksonville | $15,733 | $21,981 | $13,000 | 35.5% | 41,036 | $56,343 | 87.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, 57.4%, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, 83.9%, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Fort Myers, 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, 63.4%, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, $70,964, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, $98,650, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, $45,029, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, $49,680, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, $54,560, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, $197,148, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Fort Myers, 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, $12,568, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Top 10 colleges in Fort Myers, 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, 83.2%, Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University
In-state tuition: Fort Myers, Florida vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Fort Myers, Florida median in-state tuition is $14,894, +170.2% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Fort Myers, Florida vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Fort Myers, Florida is $9,584 (-28.6% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Fort Myers, Florida vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Fort Myers, Florida center around $54,560 (+0.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Fort Myers, Florida vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 83.9% at the median Fort Myers, Florida campus (-4.0 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
Fort Myers, Florida median public in-state tuition is $14,894, about +170.2% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +198.4%.
Median graduate debt is $9,584 (-28.6% 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 Fort Myers, Florida are $54,560, about +0.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 83.9% 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% (-4.0 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 83.2% 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 4.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 72.3% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Florida Gulf Coast University (83.9%)—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 Fort Myers, Florida is 48.3% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Fort Myers?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 11 campuses in Fort Myers, Florida with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Fort Myers?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Fort Myers is $14,894 and median net price is $21,091. For Florida overall, medians are $3,110 and $7,247; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Fort Myers?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Fort Myers is $54,560 vs $49,137 for Florida and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Fort Myers colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Fort Myers is $9,584 vs $13,000 for Florida and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Fort Myers?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Florida Gulf Coast University (graduation) and Florida Gulf Coast University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Fort Myers?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 11 campuses in Fort Myers, Florida, 7 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Florida SouthWestern State College, Fort Myers Technical College, and Aveda Institute-Fort Myers.
Sources & related
- Florida college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON