Find Nursing Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in Florida

Find Schools Near

2023 Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in Florida

23 Colleges
$66,973 Avg Salary
$25,610 Avg Student Debt

Nursing is the most popular major in Florida with 21,209 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021.

There are so many nursing programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in Florida ranking. Our analysis looked at 23 schools in Florida to see which online programs were the most popular for nursing students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from schools with online programs.

Check out the online nursing programs at these schools if you want to attend one of the most popular in Florida.

Our analysis found University of South Florida - Main Campus to be the most popular school for nursing students who want to pursue an online degree in Florida. Located in the city of Tampa, USF Tampa is a public school with a very large student population.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at USF Tampa accumulate an average of around $24,636 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $181, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read More…

#2

Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Nova Southeastern University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in Florida list. NUS Florida is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Fort Lauderdale.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from NUS Florida carry an average student debtload of $31,538. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $334.

Read More…

#3

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, FL

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means University of North Florida is a great place for nursing students pursuing an online degree. Located in the large city of Jacksonville, UNF is a public school with a large student population.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at UNF accumulate an average of around $18,750 in student debt.

Read More…

#4

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in Florida list. Located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville, UF is a public school with a fairly large student population.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at UF take out is $19,458. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $146.

Full Nursing at University of Florida Report

#5

Polk State College

Winter Haven, FL

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Polk State College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in Florida list. Located in the small city of Winter Haven, Polk State is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

On average, nursing graduates from Polk State take out $18,385 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Nursing at Polk State College

State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the suburb of Bradenton, State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

On average, nursing graduates from State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota take out $20,058 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Nursing at State College of Florida - Manatee - Sarasota

#7

Daytona State College

Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona State College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the city of Daytona Beach, Daytona State College is a public school with a large student population.

While working on their degree, nursing majors at Daytona State College accumulate an average of around $16,434 in student debt.

Full Nursing at Daytona State College Report

#8

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, FL

With a ranking of #8, Indian River State College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Indian River State College is a large public school located in the suburb of Fort Pierce.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Indian River State College take out is $13,484.

Read full report on Nursing at Indian River State College

#9

St. Thomas University

Miami Gardens, FL

St. Thomas University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #9 on the list. STU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Miami Gardens.

Full Nursing at St. Thomas University Report

#10

University of Florida-Online

Gainesville, FL

University of Florida-Online came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Online Nursing Schools in Florida ranking. UF Online is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Gainesville.

After completing their degree, nursing graduates from UF Online carry an average student debtload of $19,458. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $146.

Full Nursing at University of Florida-Online Report

Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Most Popular Nursing Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Louisiana 3,502
Mississippi 2,838
Alabama 7,364
Kentucky 6,395
Arkansas 2,882
Tennessee 6,004
North Carolina 7,425
West Virginia 1,771
South Carolina 3,296
Virginia 6,775
Georgia 7,112

More Nursing Rankings in Florida

Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 266,651
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 16,104
Nursing Administration 9,838
Nursing Practice 7,992
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 5,092
Nursing Science 4,600
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 2,287
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing 2,021
Nurse Anesthetist 1,936
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing 1,883
Critical Care Nursing 773
Geriatric Nurse/Nursing 563
School Nursing 553
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 509
Clinical Nurse Leader 444
Clinical Nurse Specialist 419
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing 331
Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing 181
Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing 57
Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing 53
Palliative Care Nursing 14
Forensic Nursing 14

Related Major Annual Graduates
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 84,274

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 23 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Featured Schools

Find Nursing Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited nursing schools across the U.S.