2027 College Rankings

Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida

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College Raptor’s Hidden Gem rankings highlight under-the-radar colleges that may not be household names, but they're bringing serious academic heat. Hidden Gems are based on College Raptor’s overall national rankings and must meet the following criteria:

Receive fewer than 10,000 applications per year.
Have fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students.
Offer 5 or more unique majors
Have a 20% acceptance rate or higher.
Rank within the top half of College Raptor’s overall rankings.

For more information on methodology behind our college rankings, check out our ranking methodology breakdown.

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Rank	Institution	Acceptance Rate	SAT Score	Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price	Median Starting Salary	Save
1	Rollins College	52.85	1,200 – 1,370	39201	48239	#1 Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida Rollins College Winter Park, FL Rollins College was founded in 1885, making it the fourth oldest post-secondary institution in Florida. Rollins has won over 20 National Championships and more than 60 Sunshine State Conference Championships. Student athletes, known as Tars, participate in Basketball, Soccer, and Tennis, among others....Read more Acceptance Rate 52.9% SAT Score 1,200 – 1,370 Avg. Net Price $39,201 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $48,239
2	Eckerd College	75.8	1,170 – 1,340	43884	37505	#2 Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida Eckerd College Saint Petersburg, FL A private liberal arts school located not far from the beach, Eckerd College is home to several sustainability initiatives, bikesharing systems, and the Galbraith Marine Science Laboratory. In fact, Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography is a commonly chosen program....Read more Acceptance Rate 75.8% SAT Score 1,170 – 1,340 Avg. Net Price $43,884 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $37,505
3	New College of Florida	73.2	1,070 – 1,250	9078	32611	#3 Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida New College of Florida Sarasota, FL A Public school, the New College of Florida awards institutional grant aid to 100% of attending students. 153 athletes may also be eligible for athletic scholarships, as New College is a NAIA Division I institution. In class, students enjoy a cozy 8 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio. Acceptance Rate 73.2% SAT Score 1,070 – 1,250 Avg. Net Price $9,078 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $32,611
4	Florida Polytechnic University	34.77	1,140 – 1,320	13016	77545	#4 Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida Florida Polytechnic University Lakeland, FL Originally a part of the University of South Florida, Florida Polytechnic University branched off in 2012. It’s selective, only accepting around 35% of students. The 170-acre campus is home to a variety of labs including ones for 3-D printing, robotics, gaming, and cybersecurity. Acceptance Rate 34.8% SAT Score 1,140 – 1,320 Avg. Net Price $13,016 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $77,545
5	Lynn University	74.25	1,050 – 1,220	45469	41427	#5 Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida Lynn University Boca Raton, FL Located in Boca Raton, Lynn University accepts 74% of applicants. They charge unknown for undergraduate applications. Approximately 95% of students at Lynn University will receive institutional grant aid to make attending college more affordable....Read more Acceptance Rate 74.3% SAT Score 1,050 – 1,220 Avg. Net Price $45,469 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $41,427
6	Ave Maria University	41.39	1,050 – 1,280	25294	43572	#6 Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida Ave Maria University Ave Maria, FL Ave Maria University is a private Catholic university located in southwest Florida. Found in 2003 by Tom Monaghan, AMU is the first new Catholic university since 1963. The school has a 17 to 1 student to faculty ratio and 79% first year retention rate. Acceptance Rate 41.4% SAT Score 1,050 – 1,280 Avg. Net Price $25,294 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $43,572
7	Flagler College	78.7	1,090 – 1,260	32395	41963	#7 Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida Flagler College Saint Augustine, FL Based in Saint Augustine, Flagler College’s acceptance rate is 79% and charges $50 for undergraduate applications. About 98% of attending students currently receive institutional grant aid. The institution’s first year retention rate is 71% and 45% of students will earn their degree in four years. The common majors among......Read more Acceptance Rate 78.7% SAT Score 1,090 – 1,260 Avg. Net Price $32,395 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $41,963
8	Jacksonville University	57.48	1,130 – 1,290	24238	61991	#8 Top Hidden Gem Colleges in Florida Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FL Found in Jacksonville, Jacksonville University accepted 57% students who applied to the school in the last admissions cycle and requires $30 for undergraduate applications and $30 for graduate applications. Approximately 99% of students attending Jacksonville University currently receive institutional grant aid to make......Read more Acceptance Rate 57.5% SAT Score 1,130 – 1,290 Avg. Net Price $24,238 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $61,991