Florida Poly tops state in computer science, with data science program in top 20 nationally

Florida Polytechnic University is the best in the state when it comes to undergraduate computer science education, and it’s among the best in the nation in data science.

That’s according to new rankings from Research.com, an online higher education resource. The university’s computer science program ranked No. 1 in Florida among public universities, while its data science program ranked among the nation’s Top 20 for all public and private universities.

“These rankings underscore the high quality of our programs, as well as the talent and commitment of our faculty and students,” university President Devin Stephenson said. “At Florida Poly, we’re building one of the nation’s strongest STEM-focused universities, and recognitions like this show the growing impact of our work.”

The school’s data science program ranked No. 18 overall and No. 11 among public universities nationwide. It was also recognized as the No. 4 most affordable data science undergraduate program nationwide.

“We continually refine our academic programs to ensure students are acquiring knowledge in the most relevant, forward-looking technologies,” Florida Poly Provost Brad Thiessen said. “Being among the nation’s best and most affordable programs strengthens our ability to attract ambitious students who want to innovate and lead.”

The rankings were based on factors including overall university quality, student program views, cost, post-graduation earning potential and research strength.

The school’s computer science program, while tops in the state among all public universities, also ranked No. 2 when including private schools.

“These awards are a testament to the institution’s dedication to academic excellence and student satisfaction with their programs,” Research.com said on its webpage for the ranking.

The new Research.com rankings follow other accolades for Florida’s youngest state university. The most recent U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings put Florida Poly as the No. 1 public college in the South for the fifth consecutive year and No. 3 best value public school in the region.

The university also remains among the nation’s Top 30 public engineering programs without a Ph.D. for the fifth year in a row. In WalletHub’s 2026 College & University Rankings, Florida Poly ranked in the Top 10 nationally for overall career outcomes, No. 2 among public institutions and No. 5 among public universities for best cost and financing.