Tampa, Florida Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Tampa, Florida: median public in-state tuition $18,145 (+229.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $40,092 (-26.3% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 79.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $13,000 (-2.0% vs U.S.) 74,134 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 23 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 74,134 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $18,145 (+229.2% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $40,092 (-26.3% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 79.2% (-8.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $19,484 (+95.5% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $13,000 (-2.0% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,456
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 48.9%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 66.7%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Tampa serve students across Florida with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 23 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 74,134 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $18,145. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Tampa, Florida and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Tampa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa, Florida | $18,145 | $19,484 | $13,000 | 48.9% | 74,134 |
| 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: Tampa, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa, Florida | $40,092 | 79.2% | 66.7% | 10.5% | — | 45.3% | 0.41 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa, Florida | $18,145 | $19,484 | $13,000 | 48.9% | 74,134 | $40,092 | 79.2% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
Outcomes by sector in Tampa, 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 for-profit | 3 | $34,657 | 79.2% | 50.0% | 13.3% | — | 42.4% |
Top 3 colleges in Tampa, 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, 100.0%, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 76.8%, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 63.7%, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
Top 3 colleges in Tampa, 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, 84.4%, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 81.1%, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 67.1%, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
Top 2 most selective colleges in Tampa, 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, 40.3%, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 43.2%, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
Top 5 colleges in Tampa, 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, $85,169, Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $83,660, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $77,635, South University-Tampa
South University-Tampa
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $71,478, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $71,167, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
Top 5 colleges in Tampa, 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, $109,054, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $99,980, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $91,363, South University-Tampa
South University-Tampa
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $87,413, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $87,378, Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
Top 3 colleges in Tampa, 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, $48,397, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $48,328, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,582, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
Top 3 colleges in Tampa, 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, $54,511, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $54,167, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,064, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
Top 3 colleges in Tampa, 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, $59,436, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $57,743, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,092, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
Top 5 colleges in Tampa, 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, $218,380, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $108,819, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $89,716, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $66,428, South University-Tampa
South University-Tampa
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $-15,172, Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
Top 5 most affordable colleges in Tampa, 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, $9,812, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 2, Net Price, $16,064, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
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Rank 3, Net Price, $20,434, South University-Tampa
South University-Tampa
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Rank 4, Net Price, $36,211, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 5, Net Price, $36,680, Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa
Top 3 colleges in Tampa, 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, 91.3%, University of South Florida
University of South Florida
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 85.5%, The University of Tampa
The University of Tampa
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 66.7%, Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
In-state tuition: Tampa, Florida vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Tampa, Florida median in-state tuition is $18,145, +229.2% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Tampa, Florida vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Tampa, Florida is $13,000 (-2.0% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,456.
Median earnings (10 years out): Tampa, Florida vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Tampa, Florida center around $40,092 (-26.3% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Tampa, Florida vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 79.2% at the median Tampa, Florida campus (-8.8 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
Tampa, Florida median public in-state tuition is $18,145, about +229.2% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +263.5%.
Median graduate debt is $13,000 (-2.0% below 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 Tampa, Florida are $40,092, about -26.3% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 79.2% 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% (-8.8 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 66.7% 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 10.5% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 45.3% (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 South Florida (84.4%), Strayer University-Florida (81.1%), The University of Tampa (67.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Tampa, Florida, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $34,657 (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 Tampa, Florida is 48.9% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Tampa?
This city profile covers 23 campuses in Tampa, Florida with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Tampa?
Median in-state tuition in Tampa is $18,145 and median net price is $19,484. For Florida overall, medians are $3,110 and $7,247; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Tampa?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Tampa is $40,092 vs $49,232 for Florida and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Tampa colleges?
Median completer debt in Tampa is $13,000 vs $13,000 for Florida and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Tampa?
Top campuses on this page include Strayer University-Florida (graduation) and The University of Tampa (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Tampa?
Among 23 campuses in Tampa, Florida, 12 campuses with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Concorde Career Institute-Tampa, Hillsborough College, and H W Brewster Technical College.
Sources & related
- Florida college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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