Best Child Development Schools Near Okeechobee, FL (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Okeechobee, Florida has 1 accredited school offering child development programs. Okeechobee has a population of about 5,376. Median household income is $50,365 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning child development-related role is Special Education Teachers, Preschool at a median $58,240 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Child Development Schools to Okeechobee

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer child development programs near Okeechobee, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Okeechobee city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Okeechobee. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL 87.7 miles from Okeechobee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,209
Avg net price $30,371/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 131

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL 304.8 miles from Okeechobee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,675
Avg net price $11,297/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 148

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida child development page.

Child Development Wages Near Okeechobee

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Florida, statewide)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $35,860
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare $56,750
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $56,550
Childcare Workers $34,210
Special Education Teachers, Preschool $58,240
Social and Human Service Assistants $44,410
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education $58,100
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other $50,440

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Okeechobee at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 5,376 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $50,365 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 20.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Okeechobee-Area Cities With Child Development Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited child development schools are near Okeechobee, FL?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering child development programs near Okeechobee. The closest is Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL (87.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Nova Southeastern University (87.7 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying child development roles in Florida?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying child development-related roles in Florida are: Special Education Teachers, Preschool ($58,240), Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education ($58,100), Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare ($56,750). Wages for Okeechobee workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Port Saint Lucie instead of Okeechobee?

Port Saint Lucie, FL is 27.3 miles from Okeechobee and has its own set of local child development programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Okeechobee an affordable place to study child development?

Okeechobee’s median household income of $50,365 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Okeechobee while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Child Development Programs

Other Programs Available in Okeechobee

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Okeechobee:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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