31 Best colleges for Optical Engineering 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 Optical Engineering. A graph of 3.47M citations received by 103K academic papers made by 31 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 Optical Engineering

#30 in the United States

#31 in North America

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

2. University of Central Florida

Orlando

For Optical Engineering

#43 in the United States

#46 in North America

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

3. University of Miami

Coral Gables

For Optical Engineering

#57 in the United States

#63 in North America

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

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee

For Optical Engineering

#82 in the United States

#94 in North America

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

5. University of South Florida

Tampa

For Optical Engineering

#98 in the United States

#114 in North America

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

6. Florida International University

Miami

For Optical Engineering

#141 in the United States

#164 in North America

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

7. Florida College

Temple Terrace

For Optical Engineering

#179 in the United States

#207 in North America

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

8. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton

For Optical Engineering

#205 in the United States

#233 in North America

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

9. Florida Institute of Technology

Melbourne

For Optical Engineering

#234 in the United States

#264 in North America

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

10. Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale

For Optical Engineering

#277 in the United States

#313 in North America

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

11. University of South Florida - St Petersburg

St. Petersburg

For Optical Engineering

#279 in the United States

#315 in North America

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

12. Schiller International University

Largo

For Optical Engineering

#289 in the United States

#327 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $21,249
Receiving Aid: 0%
Average Aid: $3,591

13. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach

For Optical Engineering

#326 in the United States

#369 in North America

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

14. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Tallahassee

For Optical Engineering

#366 in the United States

#413 in North America

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

15. University of North Florida

Jacksonville

For Optical Engineering

#380 in the United States

#427 in North America

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

16. University of West Florida

Pensacola

For Optical Engineering

#435 in the United States

#485 in North America

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

17. Hodges University

Naples

For Optical Engineering

#507 in the United States

#561 in North America

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

18. University of Tampa

Tampa

For Optical Engineering

#535 in the United States

#589 in North America

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

19. Southeastern University

Lakeland

For Optical Engineering

#552 in the United States

#606 in North America

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

20. Lynn University

Boca Raton

For Optical Engineering

#555 in the United States

#609 in North America

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

21. Jacksonville University

Jacksonville

For Optical Engineering

#578 in the United States

#632 in North America

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

22. Rollins College

Winter Park

For Optical Engineering

#586 in the United States

#640 in North America

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

23. Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers

For Optical Engineering

#591 in the United States

#646 in North America

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

24. New College of Florida

Sarasota

For Optical Engineering

#649 in the United States

#706 in North America

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

25. Florida Polytechnic University

Lakeland

For Optical Engineering

#678 in the United States

#736 in North America

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

26. Eckerd College

St. Petersburg

For Optical Engineering

#696 in the United States

#754 in North America

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

27. Barry University

Miami

For Optical Engineering

#717 in the United States

#779 in North America

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

28. Stetson University

DeLand

For Optical Engineering

#762 in the United States

#824 in North America

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

29. Indian River State College

Fort Pierce

For Optical Engineering

#867 in the United States

#932 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $6,970
Enrollment: 15,429

30. Miami Dade College

Miami

For Optical Engineering

#925 in the United States

#991 in North America

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

31. Everglades University

Boca Raton

For Optical Engineering

#993 in the United States

#1060 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $27,948
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $11,220

Closest to Florida states to learn Optical Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Georgia	26	14
South Carolina	15	81
Alabama	19	88
North Carolina	24	32
Mississippi	10	137
Tennessee	26	64
Louisiana	19	79
Virginia	30	52
Kentucky	12	85
West Virginia	7	119
Arkansas	11	114
District of Columbia	8	94
Maryland	21	11
Ohio	40	27
Indiana	23	23
New Jersey	18	15
Pennsylvania	68	18
Illinois	41	8
Missouri	18	48
Connecticut	18	29
Oklahoma	11	97
New York	92	9
Rhode Island	6	59
Texas	55	13
Massachusetts	50	2
Michigan	26	5
Iowa	11	46
Puerto Rico	9	264
Kansas	9	99
Vermont	4	148
Wisconsin	23	16
New Hampshire	8	95
Maine	7	183
Nebraska	7	83
Minnesota	19	25
New Mexico	6	70
South Dakota	7	246
Colorado	16	33
North Dakota	3	193
Arizona	5	20
Utah	7	36
Montana	3	147
Idaho	4	166
Nevada	3	126
California	80	1
Oregon	15	84
Washington	17	10
Alaska	3	201
Hawaii	4	124