In just its 11th year of operation, Florida Polytechnic University is the top public college in the South, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges Rankings .

It’s the fifth year in a row the Lakeland-based STEM-only (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) school has landed in the top spot among regional public colleges in the Southern U.S.

When including private schools among regional colleges in the South, Florida Poly ranks second behind only High Point University in North Carolina, a private college.

Florida Poly also nabbed the No. 3 spot for best value public school in the South, a ranking that recognizes academic performance balanced by student affordability.

Nationwide, the school landed at No. 16 for best value schools.

At less than $

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