Sarasota, Florida Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Sarasota, Florida: median public in-state tuition $22,400 (+293.0% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $54,108 (-8.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 86.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $17,536 (+29.9% vs U.S.) 4,440 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Sarasota serve students across Florida with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 9 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 4,440 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $22,400. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Sarasota, Florida and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Sarasota 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota, Florida | $22,400 | $25,268 | $17,536 | 66.9% | 4,440 |
| Florida (state median) | $3,110 | $7,285 | $13,758 | 51.0% | 855,761 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Sarasota, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota, Florida | $54,108 | 86.5% | 81.0% | 5.1% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
| Florida (state median) | $56,370 | 91.7% | 75.6% | 5.5% | — | 65.3% | 0.35 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota, Florida | $22,400 | $25,268 | $17,536 | 66.9% | 4,440 | $54,108 | 86.5% |
| Orlando | $17,013 | $19,736 | $17,052 | 51.0% | 110,503 | $69,124 | 93.3% |
| Miami | $15,796 | $20,918 | $9,500 | 51.9% | 107,556 | $64,837 | 91.2% |
| Tampa | $18,145 | $21,228 | $16,250 | 50.9% | 74,134 | $44,016 | 87.8% |
| Gainesville | $5,128 | $15,357 | $11,498 | 82.6% | 52,208 | $78,456 | 94.0% |
| Gainesville | $5,128 | $15,357 | $11,498 | 82.6% | 52,208 | $78,456 | 94.0% |
| Tallahassee | $5,720 | $11,132 | $13,000 | 61.5% | 51,736 | $60,164 | 93.8% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $26,016 | $24,810 | $17,280 | 57.9% | 50,305 | $53,684 | 89.2% |
| Jacksonville | $15,733 | $22,664 | $14,900 | 34.9% | 41,036 | $59,626 | 91.8% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, 71.8%, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 61.9%, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, 87.6%, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 85.5%, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Top 2 most selective colleges in Sarasota, 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, 69.7%, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 73.2%, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, $47,561, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $33,465, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, $75,213, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $41,759, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, $42,301, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,910, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, $47,373, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $45,140, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, $55,053, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,164, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, $188,781, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $-77,618, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
Top 2 most affordable colleges in Sarasota, 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, $8,222, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
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Rank 2, Net Price, $63,679, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
Top 2 colleges in Sarasota, 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, 86.4%, Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 75.6%, New College of Florida
New College of Florida
In-state tuition: Sarasota, Florida vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Sarasota, Florida median in-state tuition is $22,400, +293.0% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Sarasota, Florida vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Sarasota, Florida is $17,536 (+29.9% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,558.
Median earnings (10 years out): Sarasota, Florida vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Sarasota, Florida center around $54,108 (-8.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Sarasota, Florida vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 86.5% at the median Sarasota, Florida campus (-6.5 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
Sarasota, Florida median public in-state tuition is $22,400, about +293.0% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +334.4%.
Median graduate debt is $17,536 (+29.9% above the U.S. median of $13,500). 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 Sarasota, Florida are $54,108, about -8.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 86.5% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-6.5 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 81.0% 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 5.1% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 73.8% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Ringling College of Art and Design (87.6%), New College of Florida (85.5%)—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 Sarasota, Florida is 66.9% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Sarasota?
This city profile covers 9 campuses in Sarasota, Florida with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Sarasota?
Median in-state tuition in Sarasota is $22,400 and median net price is $25,268. For Florida overall, medians are $3,110 and $7,285; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Sarasota?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Sarasota is $54,108 vs $56,370 for Florida and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Sarasota colleges?
Median completer debt in Sarasota is $17,536 vs $13,758 for Florida and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Sarasota?
Top campuses on this page include Ringling College of Art and Design (graduation) and Ringling College of Art and Design (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Sarasota?
Among 9 College Scorecard campuses in Sarasota, Florida, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, none report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, and none report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Florida college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON