2026 Best Value Social Work Schools in Florida
[Social Work](/majors/social-services-public-administration/social-work/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for social work students.
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2026 Best Value Social Work Schools in Florida
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social work, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Work Schools
Florida Atlantic University earned the #1 spot for value among social work schools in Florida. Located in the city of Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,879, while out-of-state students pay about $17,324. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $19,695. Social Work graduates of Florida Atlantic University earn a median of $39,912 early in their careers. Set against $19,695 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 66%.
A rank of #2 makes The University Of West Florida one of the best values for social work. The University Of West Florida is a large public school located in the rural area of Pensacola. Students from in state pay about $5,776 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,658. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $17,373. Social Work graduates of The University Of West Florida earn a median of $36,573 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,373 median debt. The acceptance rate is 58%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Florida International University earned it the #3 place for social work. Set in the suburb of Miami, Florida International University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,565, with out-of-state students paying around $18,964. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $18,800. Early-career social work graduates make about $41,626. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
University Of South Florida Main Campus came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value social work schools. Located in the city of Tampa, University Of South Florida Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,410, with out-of-state students paying around $17,324. Social Work graduates carry a median of $21,875 in student loans. Early-career social work graduates make about $43,978. Set against $21,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 43%.
Florida Gulf Coast University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social work, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Fort Myers, Florida Gulf Coast University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,118, while out-of-state students pay about $25,162. Students borrow a median of $18,837 to complete the social work program here. Early-career social work graduates make about $45,605. Set against $18,837 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
University Of North Florida landed the #6 spot for social work value this year. Set in the city of Jacksonville, University Of North Florida is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,964, compared with $19,407 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $13,029. Early-career social work graduates make about $49,208. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 53%.
University Of Central Florida landed the #7 spot for social work value this year. Located in the suburb of Orlando, University Of Central Florida is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,368 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,467. Social Work graduates carry a median of $22,375 in student loans. Social Work graduates of University Of Central Florida earn a median of $41,483 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,375 median debt. The acceptance rate is 40%.
Florida State University placed #8 among the best values for social work. Florida State University is a very large public school located in the city of Tallahassee. In-state tuition and fees average $6,517, with out-of-state students paying around $21,683. Students borrow a median of $15,193 to complete the social work program here. Social Work graduates of Florida State University earn a median of $37,177 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 24% of applicants are accepted.
Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University placed #9 among the best values for social work. Set in the city of Tallahassee, Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,785 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,725 for out-of-state students. Social Work graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Social Work graduates of Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University earn a median of $33,951 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University admits about 21% of applicants.
Saint Leo University landed the #10 spot for social work value this year. Saint Leo University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the town of Saint Leo. In-state tuition and fees average $30,000. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $33,457. Social Work graduates of Saint Leo University earn a median of $43,239 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Barry University placed #11 among the best values for social work. Set in the suburb of Miami, Barry University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,350. Social Work graduates carry a median of $30,675 in student loans. Early-career social work graduates make about $51,176. Set against $30,675 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Barry University admits about 77% of applicants.
Southeastern University came in at #12 for value in social work this year. Southeastern University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lakeland. In-state tuition and fees average $32,950. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $24,923. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Southeastern University generally make around $48,071. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 53% of applicants are accepted.
Nova Southeastern University earned the #13 position for value in social work this year. Located in the suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Nova Southeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $38,700. Students borrow a median of $25,021 to complete the social work program here. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Nova Southeastern University generally make around $44,652. That is a strong return on a $25,021 median debt. The acceptance rate is 73%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
