Best Early Childhood Education Schools Near Okeechobee, FL

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

Okeechobee, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs, with tuition ranging from $2,496 to $67,880 per year for indexed 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 early childhood education-related role is Kindergarten Teacher at a median $58,100 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Early Childhood Education Schools to Okeechobee

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer early childhood education 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

Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, FL 31.6 miles from Okeechobee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,315
Avg net price $3,815/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Palm Beach State College

Lake Worth, FL 63.1 miles from Okeechobee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,923
Avg net price $9,182/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Eastern Florida State College

Melbourne, FL 64.9 miles from Okeechobee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
63.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,195
Avg net price $6,440/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,496
Out‑of‑state$9,739
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 69

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

#4

Lynn University

Boca Raton, FL 73.4 miles from Okeechobee
  • 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

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#5

Polk State College

Winter Haven, FL 76.8 miles from Okeechobee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,624
Avg net price $9,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, FL 79.1 miles from Okeechobee
  • 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

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#7

Florida SouthWestern State College

Fort Myers, FL 80.7 miles from Okeechobee
  • 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

#8

Southeastern University

Lakeland, FL 86.1 miles from Okeechobee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
32.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 53%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,744
Avg net price $31,942/yr
Tuition
In‑state$32,950
Out‑of‑state$32,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 74

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 Okeechobee

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Florida, statewide)
Preschool Teacher $35,860
Kindergarten Teacher $58,100
Preschool and Childcare Center Director $56,750
Teaching Assistant $34,430

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 Early Childhood Education Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering early childhood education programs near Okeechobee. The closest is Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, FL (31.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Polk State College (76.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying early childhood education roles in Florida?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying early childhood education-related roles in Florida are: Kindergarten Teacher ($58,100), Preschool and Childcare Center Director ($56,750), Preschool Teacher ($35,860). 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 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 Okeechobee an affordable place to study early childhood education?

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 Early Childhood Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Okeechobee

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

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.

Back to Best Early Childhood Education Schools in Florida (2026)