Best General Studies Schools Near Sarasota, FL (2026)

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

Sarasota, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs, with tuition ranging from $6,916 to $51,614 per year for indexed programs. Sarasota has a population of about 56,218. Median household income is $70,065 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL metro area, the top-earning general studies-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $94,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest General Studies Schools to Sarasota

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies programs near Sarasota, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sarasota 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 Sarasota. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

New College of Florida

Sarasota, FL 3.3 miles from Sarasota
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
53.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 73%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,082
Avg net price $7,195/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,916
Out‑of‑state$29,944
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 7

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

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

General Studies Wages Near Sarasota

Sarasota is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL metro area (BLS area code 35840). 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)
General and Operations Managers $94,900 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $92,676
Management Analysts $88,710 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $86,631
Human Resources Specialists $67,100 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $65,527
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $73,260 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $71,543
Writers and Authors $60,640 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $59,219
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,900 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $62,402
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $67,090 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $65,518
Social and Community Service Managers $73,810 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $72,080

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.

Sarasota at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 56,218 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $70,065 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 41.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 102.4 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Sarasota-Area Cities With General Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited general studies schools are near Sarasota, FL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Sarasota. The closest is New College of Florida in Sarasota, FL (3.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Tampa (42.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles near Sarasota?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles near Sarasota are: General and Operations Managers ($94,900), Management Analysts ($88,710), Social and Community Service Managers ($73,810). 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 Bradenton instead of Sarasota?

Bradenton, FL is 10.6 miles from Sarasota and has its own set of local general studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Sarasota an affordable place to study general studies?

Sarasota’s median household income of $70,065 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sarasota 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 General Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Sarasota

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

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.

Back to Best General Studies Schools in Florida (2026)