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Friday, May. 1, 2026

Has Florida college tuition stayed flat under Gov. Ron DeSantis?

Clinton Engelberger | Suncoast Searchlight, Suncoast Searchlight
no

Florida may have the cheapest in-state college tuition in the country, but costs have slightly increased since Gov. Ron DeSantis took office in 2019.

DeSantis claimed in an April 23 speech at Tohopekaliga High School that Florida has not seen “one penny of increase in tuition” since he’s been governor. Though increases have been minimal, tuition costs have risen over the years.

The average cost of attendance at Florida’s public universities for an in-state, full-time undergraduate student was $5,976 in 2019-20. For the 2025-26 academic year, that cost raised slightly to $6,093. 

Florida has remained an affordable state to attend college, but average tuition costs have risen more than “one penny” since 2019.

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