Florida Named Best U.S. State For Higher Education

U.S. News and World Report annually compiles a ranking of states that incorporates 75 different factors, including higher education. Florida is at the top of the list for college and university education, ahead of Utah and Washington.

Pennsylvania was at the bottom of the list, just below Alabama and South Carolina.

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When higher education and PreK through 12th grade learning are factored together, Florida falls to 7th place, with Massachusetts taking the top spot. Utah places third in the overall education rankings.

In the overall rankings, which look at health care, economy, infrastructure, crime and opportunity — with each weighted by percentage, higher education counting for 14% of the total  — Iowa claims the first spot, with Minnesota, Utah, North Dakota and New Hampshire rounding out the top five.

Louisiana was at the bottom of the overall list.

Here is the full list of higher ed rankings:

1. Florida

2. Utah

3. Washington

4. California

5. Wyoming

6. North Dakota

7. Nebraska

8. Iowa

9. Colorado

10. North Carolina

11. South Dakota

12. Maryland

13. Nevada

14. New York

15. Kansas

16. Alaska

17. Virginia

18. Wisconsin

19. Arizona

20. New Mexico

21. Oklahoma

22. Georgia

23. Minnesota

24. Hawaii

25. Oregon

26. Tennessee

27. Missouri

28. New Jersey

29. Massachusetts

30. Mississippi

31. Montana

32. Illinois

33. Idaho

34. Texas

35. Maine

36. Vermont

37. Arkansas

38. Kentucky

39. Connecticut

40. Delaware

41. Ohio

42. Louisiana

43. West Virginia

44. New Hampshire

45. Rhode Island

46. Indiana

47. Michigan

48. South Carolina

49. Alabama

50. Pennsylvania