37 Best colleges for Development Studies in Florida

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Florida ranked based on their research performance in Development Studies. A graph of 1.58M citations received by 64.3K academic papers made by 37 universities in Florida was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville

For Development Studies

#31 in the United States

#34 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

2. Florida State University

Tallahassee

For Development Studies

#52 in the United States

#60 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

3. University of South Florida

Tampa

For Development Studies

#69 in the United States

#78 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 89%

4. University of Miami

Coral Gables

For Development Studies

#77 in the United States

#87 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $45,397

5. University of Central Florida

Orlando

For Development Studies

#96 in the United States

#111 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 92%

6. Florida International University

Miami

For Development Studies

#106 in the United States

#123 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 91%

7. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton

For Development Studies

#156 in the United States

#177 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 91%

8. Florida College

Temple Terrace

For Development Studies

#179 in the United States

#203 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $24,335

9. Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale

For Development Studies

#206 in the United States

#234 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $31,858

10. University of North Florida

Jacksonville

For Development Studies

#267 in the United States

#299 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1170
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 86%

11. University of West Florida

Pensacola

For Development Studies

#334 in the United States

#369 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 91%

12. Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers

For Development Studies

#429 in the United States

#472 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 77%

13. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Tallahassee

For Development Studies

#435 in the United States

#480 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 93%

14. Lynn University

Boca Raton

For Development Studies

#445 in the United States

#490 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $45,469

15. University of Tampa

Tampa

For Development Studies

#453 in the United States

#498 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Net Price: $35,679
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $15,945

16. Florida Institute of Technology

Melbourne

For Development Studies

#456 in the United States

#501 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1220
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $37,361

17. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach

For Development Studies

#466 in the United States

#512 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $42,976

18. Jacksonville University

Jacksonville

For Development Studies

#484 in the United States

#530 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,238

19. University of South Florida - St Petersburg

St. Petersburg

For Development Studies

#508 in the United States

#555 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $9,152
Enrollment: 4,500

20. Barry University

Miami

For Development Studies

#509 in the United States

#556 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $23,883
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,872

21. Rollins College

Winter Park

For Development Studies

#554 in the United States

#607 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $39,201

22. Stetson University

DeLand

For Development Studies

#666 in the United States

#726 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $20,319

23. Hodges University

Naples

For Development Studies

#675 in the United States

#736 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $22,535
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $5,622

24. Saint Leo University

Saint Leo

For Development Studies

#837 in the United States

#906 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Net Price: $22,599
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,443

25. University of South Florida - Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota

For Development Studies

#838 in the United States

#907 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 84%
Average Aid: $9,415
Enrollment: 2,000

26. Southeastern University

Lakeland

For Development Studies

#846 in the United States

#915 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Net Price: $32,334
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $17,238

27. Florida Polytechnic University

Lakeland

For Development Studies

#881 in the United States

#950 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 100%

28. Miami Dade College

Miami

For Development Studies

#892 in the United States

#962 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $7,216
Enrollment: 58,941

29. Palm Beach Atlantic University

West Palm Beach

For Development Studies

#904 in the United States

#974 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $31,231

30. Eckerd College

St. Petersburg

For Development Studies

#935 in the United States

#1005 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $43,884

31. St Petersburg College

Clearwater

For Development Studies

#974 in the United States

#1045 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 76%
Average Aid: $10,285
Enrollment: 23,936

32. New College of Florida

Sarasota

For Development Studies

#1001 in the United States

#1074 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1153
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 100%

33. Flagler College - St Augustine

Saint Augustine

For Development Studies

#1005 in the United States

#1078 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $32,395

34. Florida Southern College

Lakeland

For Development Studies

#1089 in the United States

#1165 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $29,384

35. St. Thomas University

Miami Gardens

For Development Studies

#1147 in the United States

#1223 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $27,844
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $23,356

36. Florida State College at Jacksonville

Jacksonville

For Development Studies

#1160 in the United States

#1236 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $6,120
Enrollment: 23,556

37. Bethune-Cookman University

Daytona Beach

For Development Studies

#1163 in the United States

#1239 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 910
Net Price: $12,476
Receiving Aid: 98%

Closest to Florida states to learn Development Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Georgia	34	35
South Carolina	20	62
Alabama	19	67
North Carolina	33	9
Mississippi	10	181
Tennessee	24	38
Louisiana	21	92
Virginia	29	42
Kentucky	21	57
West Virginia	9	101
Arkansas	13	141
District of Columbia	9	40
Maryland	24	3
Ohio	44	20
Indiana	26	41
New Jersey	21	26
Pennsylvania	83	8
Illinois	53	10
Missouri	25	47
Connecticut	19	12
Oklahoma	13	116
New York	110	6
Rhode Island	9	45
Texas	63	25
Massachusetts	58	1
Michigan	25	2
Iowa	15	43
Puerto Rico	9	574
Kansas	9	73
Vermont	7	128
Wisconsin	27	15
New Hampshire	10	63
Maine	9	234
Nebraska	9	93
Minnesota	24	13
New Mexico	6	89
South Dakota	8	325
Colorado	17	50
North Dakota	5	232
Arizona	7	28
Utah	9	44
Montana	4	185
Idaho	4	215
Nevada	5	145
California	98	4
Oregon	17	64
Washington	20	5
Alaska	3	309
Hawaii	5	109

Economics subfields in Florida

Actuarial Science13

Agricultural Economics7

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics23

Environmental Economics7

Finance34

International Economics9

International Relations and Diplomacy7

International Trade11

Investment Banking and Stock trading15

Political Economy12