Jacksonville Ranks 17th Best Place to Attend College

Jacksonville ranks 17th in a survey of mid-sized cities that are the best places to attend college, according to the American Institute of Economic Research.

Analysts compared the country’s 360 metropolitan statistical areas on factors including academic environment, quality of life and professional opportunities. Jacksonville was grouped among cities with populations of 1 million to 2.5 million.

Topping the list of the nation’s big cities was New York, followed by San Francisco; Boston; Washington, D.C.; and Seattle.

Among big cities, Miami ranked 10th.

Other Florida cities to make the mid-sized city list include Orlando at No. 8. Among small cities with populations of 250,000 to 1 million, Gainesville was No. 4, Naples was No. 13 and Sarasota was 20th.