University of South Florida
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Education Programs in Lakeland, FL (2026)
Lakeland, Florida has 2 accredited schools offering education programs. Lakeland has a population of about 117,030. Median household income is $60,947 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, Postsecondary at a median $79,990 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Education Schools to Lakeland
The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer education programs near Lakeland. Distances are calculated from Lakeland city center.
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 Lakeland. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Bethune-Cookman University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida education page.
Education Wages Near Lakeland
Lakeland is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area (BLS area code 29460). 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teacher | $58,000 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $59,732 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $50,420 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $51,926 |
| Middle School Teacher | $50,360 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $51,864 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $63,590 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $65,489 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 | $78,050 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $80,381 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary | $79,990 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $82,379 |
| Tutor | $37,010 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $38,115 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $58,320 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $60,062 |
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.
Lakeland at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 117,030 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $60,947 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 27.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 97.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Education-related employment in Polk County | 5,237 workers, 232 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Lakeland-Area Cities With Education Programs
- Plant City, FL – 10.5 mi away (38,200 pop)
- Winter Haven, FL – 15.7 mi away (231,412 pop)
- Zephyrhills, FL – 18.8 mi away (74,712 pop)
- Haines City, FL – 21.0 mi away (23,454 pop)
- Temple Terrace, FL – 25.9 mi away (26,515 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited education schools are near Lakeland, FL?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering education programs near Lakeland. The closest is University of South Florida in Tampa, FL (28.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bethune-Cookman University (97.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying education roles near Lakeland?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Lakeland are: Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($79,990), Education Administrator, K-12 ($78,050), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($63,590). 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 Plant City instead of Lakeland?
Plant City, FL is 10.5 miles from Lakeland and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Lakeland an affordable place to study education?
Lakeland’s median household income of $60,947 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lakeland 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 Education Programs
- Education accreditation: what to look for
- Education concentrations and specializations
- Is a Education degree worth it?
- Main Education degree guide
- Online Education programs in Florida
- Education programs by state
Other Programs Available in Lakeland
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lakeland:
- Criminal Justice programs in Lakeland, FL
- Nursing programs in Lakeland, FL
- Business Administration programs in Lakeland, FL
- Computer Science programs in Lakeland, FL
- Psychology programs in Lakeland, FL
- Engineering programs in Lakeland, FL
- Technology programs in Lakeland, FL
- Liberal Arts programs in Lakeland, FL
- Healthcare programs in Lakeland, FL
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- Accounting programs in Lakeland, FL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Lakeland, FL
- Social Work programs in Lakeland, FL
- Counseling programs in Lakeland, FL
Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
Data verified: June 11, 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.