Best Early Childhood Education Schools Near Estero, FL (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Estero, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs, with tuition ranging from $6,118 to $25,162 per year for indexed programs. Estero has a population of about 37,258. Median household income is $100,459 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area, the top-earning early childhood education-related role is Kindergarten Teacher at a median $59,780 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Early Childhood Education Schools to Estero

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer early childhood education programs near Estero, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Estero 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 Estero. 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

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, FL 2.9 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,560
Avg net price $12,568/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,118
Out‑of‑state$25,162
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Florida SouthWestern State College

Fort Myers, FL 10.3 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,421
Avg net price $7,247/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota

Bradenton, FL 85.3 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,318
Avg net price $22,356/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Jose Maria Vargas University

Pembroke Pines, FL 98.2 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 92%
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL 98.7 miles from Estero
  • 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

#6

Florida International University

Miami, FL 99.6 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
82.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,249
Avg net price $9,288/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 129

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Lynn University

Boca Raton, FL 103.5 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
38.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 73%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,006
Avg net price $44,089/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,480
Out‑of‑state$44,480
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Broward College

Fort Lauderdale, FL 104.6 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
53.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,939
Avg net price $14,506/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,830
Out‑of‑state$8,952
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida early childhood education page.

Early Childhood Education Wages Near Estero

Estero is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area (BLS area code 15980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Preschool Teacher $35,230 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $34,438
Kindergarten Teacher $59,780 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $58,436
Preschool and Childcare Center Director $56,220 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $54,956
Teaching Assistant $36,910 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $36,080

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.

Estero at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 37,258 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $100,459 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 49.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 102.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Estero-Area Cities With Early Childhood Education Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited early childhood education schools are near Estero, FL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs near Estero. The closest is Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, FL (2.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Nova Southeastern University (98.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying early childhood education roles near Estero?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying early childhood education-related roles near Estero are: Kindergarten Teacher ($59,780), Preschool and Childcare Center Director ($56,220), Teaching Assistant ($36,910). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Bonita Springs instead of Estero?

Bonita Springs, FL is 5.0 miles from Estero and has its own set of local early childhood education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Estero an affordable place to study early childhood education?

Estero’s median household income of $100,459 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Estero 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 Early Childhood Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Estero

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

Data verified: September 6, 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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