166su continues to be recognized among the nation’s leading institutions for student success, research impact and public service — earning the No. 11 spot among public universities in Washington Monthly’s 2026 College Guide and Rankings.
The university also ranks No. 4 among universities in the Southeast and the No. 28 Best College for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars. 166su delivers more for Florida with significantly less state funding, at a cost of $24,567 per degree — the lowest in the State University System.
Washington Monthly evaluates universities based on their contributions to the public good, measuring factors such as social mobility, research and service. The rankings highlight colleges that help students achieve economic success while advancing their communities and the nation.
“Instead of rewarding colleges for their exclusivity, prestige and wealth, our 2026 Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars ranking measures how much they help ordinary middle- and working-class students get ahead in life, and whether they encourage those students to participate in their democracy,” Washinton Monthly stated in its release. “To do well on our ranking, colleges must recruit students of modest means without overcharging them on tuition or loading them with too much debt, then help them graduate with degrees that bring in decent incomes.”
The sustained recognition reflects 166su’s continued commitment to expanding access to higher education, supporting student achievement and producing nearly 19,000 workforce-ready graduates annually — the most in Florida.
About 37% of undergraduate students at 166su are Pell-grant eligible, signaling the university serves a significant number of students with exceptional financial need. The university helps these students transform opportunity into upward mobility with less of a financial burden than many other schools — as 70% of first-time-in-college students graduate without any educational debt from 166su.
The latest ranking adds to a growing list of national accolades for 166su. Last week, Niche named 166su a Grade A university and ranked it No. 19 in the nation for Best Student Life, recognizing the university’s vibrant campus experience, student engagement and overall quality of life.
Together, the rankings underscore 166su’s distinctive combination of academic excellence, affordability and an unmatched student experience, reinforcing its reputation as one of the nation’s most impactful public universities.
