Florida is quickly becoming a coastal AI hub, fueled by major data-center investments, university research initiatives, and state technology incentives.
- Hyperscale Data Centers
- Microsoft is partnering with regional colocation providers and telcos to deploy Azure Edge Zones and ExpressRoute connectivity in Miami, Orlando, and Jacksonville
- In Miami-Dade County a $150 million, 15 MW, two-story, 75,000 sq ft data center called Project Apollo, is slated to break ground in 2026
- AWS has expanded its cloud regions in Jacksonville and Tampa, further anchoring Florida’s AI infrastructure.
- Academic & Research Leadership
- The University of Florida AI Institute drives breakthroughs in natural language processing and life-science applications.
- Florida State University’s Center for Advanced AI Research focuses on autonomous systems and energy-efficient algorithms.
- At University of South Florida, the Machine Learning Lab partners with NASA and USF Health on applied ML for aerospace and healthcare.
- State Incentives & Industry Partnerships
- The Florida High Tech Corridor and Enterprise Florida offer research grants, tax credits, and workforce-training subsidies that create hundreds of paid internships in data science and AI.
- Local incubators—such as UF’s Innovation Hub and FSU’s VentureLab—nurture ML startups in biotech, finance, and smart mobility.
Yet even as Florida’s tech ecosystem accelerates, employers still struggle to fill roles for machine learning engineers and data scientists. A specialized master’s in machine learning equips you with the advanced skills to meet this demand and launch a thriving AI career in the Sunshine State.
Table of Contents
- Top Machine Learning Programs in FL
- How to Choose the Right School
- Who’s Hiring Machine Learning Engineers in Florida?
- Common Requirements Across Florida Employers
2026 Best Schools for Masters in Machine Learning Degrees in Florida
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL - Public 4-Year - ufl.edu
Master's - Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Systems
Campus Based - Visit Website
The University of Florida's Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Systems is an interdisciplinary program integrating computer science, mathematics, engineering, and ethics through a 30-credit curriculum. It includes six core courses, three electives, and a capstone project, with hands-on experience using the HiPerGator supercomputer. This campus-based program prepares graduates for careers in IT, healthcare, and finance, emphasizing practical skills and ethical AI development. Admission requires a bachelor's degree in a related field, and no entrance exam is mentioned as required.
- 30 credit hours
- Interdisciplinary curriculum
- HiPerGator supercomputer access
- Capstone project included
- Campus-based program
- Focus on ethics in AI
- Prepares for IT, healthcare, finance careers
- Bachelor's degree required for admission
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL - Public 4-Year - ucf.edu
Master's - Data Analytics (MS) - Artificial Intelligence Track
Concentration: Artificial Intelligence - Online & Campus Based - Visit Website
The University of Central Florida's hybrid Master of Science in Data Analytics with an Artificial Intelligence concentration is a 30-credit hour program emphasizing AI algorithm design, advanced programming, and data interpretation. It combines online and face-to-face learning, featuring a semester-long project instead of a thesis, and is designed for professionals with a STEM background. Graduates are prepared for roles like AI Analyst or Machine Learning Engineer, with opportunities for Ph.D. advancement. The program costs $36,300 and requires an entrance exam, such as the GRE, for admission.
- 30 credit hour program
- Hybrid learning format
- Focus on AI and data analytics
- No thesis required
- Semester-long project included
- Prepares for AI Analyst roles
- Opportunity for Ph.D. advancement
- $36,300 total cost
- Requires STEM background
- Intensive 5-semester schedule
Florida Institute of Technology-Online
Melbourne, FL - Private 4-year - fit.edu
Master's - Computer Science, M.S.
Online Learning - Visit Website
Florida Institute of Technology-Online offers an online Master of Science in Computer Science, ideal for advancing in IT and software development. The program emphasizes algorithmic thinking, computer security, and intelligent systems, supported by ABET-accredited coursework and hands-on research. With expert faculty mentorship and access to state-of-the-art facilities, it prepares graduates for the evolving tech industry. This program does not require an entrance exam, focusing on practical problem-solving and innovation in a flexible online format.
- Online program flexibility.
- Focus on algorithmic thinking.
- Hands-on research opportunities.
- State-of-the-art computing facilities.
- ABET-accredited curriculum.
- Expert faculty mentorship.
- Interdisciplinary research projects.
- Career-focused curriculum.
- Access to latest software tools.
- Located in high-tech corridor.
2026 Most Affordable Masters in Machine Learning Programs in FL
| School Name | Highlights | Annual Estimated Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|---|
| University of Central Florida |
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| University of Florida |
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| Florida Institute of Technology-Online |
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How to Choose the Right School for You
Program Overview Comparison
Florida offers three distinct approaches to AI and machine learning education, each serving different career trajectories and learning preferences:
University of Florida provides a specialized MS in Artificial Intelligence Systems with interdisciplinary focus, emphasizing ethical AI development and offering unique access to HiPerGator supercomputer resources.
University of Central Florida delivers an MS in Data Analytics with AI concentration through hybrid format, combining practical data analytics skills with AI specialization for immediate industry application.
Florida Institute of Technology-Online offers a broad MS in Computer Science with flexibility for working professionals, providing ABET accreditation and comprehensive computer science foundation with AI research opportunities.
Cost Analysis
In-State Students
- UCF: $7,100-$10,600 annually – Most affordable option
- UF: $10,200-$15,300 annually – Competitive state pricing
- Florida Tech: $12,900-$19,400 annually – Premium but reasonable
Out-of-State Students
- UCF: $22,900-$34,400 annually – Moderate out-of-state premium
- UF: $24,100-$36,200 annually – Similar to UCF range
- Florida Tech: $12,900-$19,400 annually – No residency differential (major advantage)
Total Program Investment
- UCF: $36,300 total program cost (30 credits, 5 semesters)
- UF: Approximately $20,400-$72,400 depending on residency
- Florida Tech: Approximately $25,800-$38,800 for full program
Program Duration and Format Comparison
Accelerated Timeline
UCF operates on an intensive 5-semester schedule, enabling rapid completion for career advancement.
Standard Academic Timeline
UF follows traditional semester progression over approximately 2 years for comprehensive coverage.
Professional Flexibility
Florida Tech provides fully online delivery with self-paced options accommodating working professionals.
Curriculum Specialization Analysis
AI Systems Focus
UF delivers the most specialized AI curriculum with interdisciplinary integration across computer science, mathematics, engineering, and ethics, supported by supercomputer access for advanced research.
Data Analytics Integration
UCF uniquely combines data analytics with AI, preparing graduates for roles requiring both statistical analysis and machine learning expertise.
Computer Science Foundation
Florida Tech offers the broadest technical foundation with AI as one specialization area, providing comprehensive programming and systems knowledge.
Unique Program Features
Research Infrastructure
UF provides exclusive access to HiPerGator supercomputer, enabling large-scale AI research projects impossible at most institutions.
Practical Application
UCF emphasizes immediate industry application through semester-long projects replacing traditional thesis requirements.
Professional Accessibility
Florida Tech offers complete online delivery with ABET accreditation, maintaining rigorous standards while accommodating working professionals.
Target Audience and Career Outcomes
AI Research and Development
UF best serves candidates interested in AI research, ethics-focused roles, or positions requiring deep technical knowledge in healthcare, finance, and IT sectors.
Industry Analytics Roles
UCF prepares graduates for AI Analyst, Machine Learning Engineer, and data-driven business intelligence positions with immediate practical application.
Broad Technical Leadership
Florida Tech develops professionals for software engineering, systems architecture, and technical management roles across diverse industries.
Admission Requirements Assessment
Standard Requirements
All programs require related bachelor’s degrees with competitive GPAs, but none mention GRE requirements, improving accessibility.
STEM Background Emphasis
UCF specifically requires STEM background, targeting technically prepared students for accelerated progression.
Professional Focus
Florida Tech accommodates diverse professional backgrounds through flexible online delivery and comprehensive foundational coursework.
Geographic and Industry Connections
State University Resources
UF and UCF provide access to extensive state university networks, research collaborations, and Florida’s growing tech sector.
Private Institution Focus
Florida Tech offers smaller class sizes, personalized attention, and connections to Melbourne’s high-tech corridor.
Industry Partnerships
All programs benefit from Florida’s expanding AI and tech industry, with particular strength in aerospace, healthcare, and financial services.
Selection Framework: Choosing Your Best Fit
For AI Researchers and Specialists
Choose University of Florida if you value:
- Cutting-edge research infrastructure (HiPerGator)
- Ethical AI development focus
- Interdisciplinary curriculum integration
- Strong in-state tuition benefits
- Campus-based collaborative learning
for Data-Driven Industry Professionals
Choose University of Central Florida if you prioritize:
- Hybrid learning flexibility
- Data analytics and AI integration
- Rapid 5-semester completion
- Project-based learning over thesis
- Competitive total program cost
- Preparation for immediate industry roles
For Working Professionals and Career Changers
Choose Florida Institute of Technology if you need:
- Complete online flexibility
- ABET-accredited curriculum
- Broad computer science foundation
- No residency tuition differential
- Self-paced learning options
- Comprehensive technical skill development
Decision Matrix
Choose UF if: You’re a Florida resident seeking specialized AI education with research opportunities and supercomputer access for advanced projects.
Choose UCF if: You want accelerated, practical training combining data analytics with AI through hybrid learning format at competitive cost.
Choose Florida Tech if: You’re a working professional needing flexible online education with broad technical foundation and consistent pricing regardless of residency.
Critical Considerations
Program Depth vs. Breadth
UF provides deepest AI specialization, UCF offers practical industry focus, while Florida Tech delivers comprehensive CS foundation.
Research vs. Application
UF emphasizes research and ethics, UCF focuses on immediate industry application, Florida Tech balances both through flexible curriculum.
Cost vs. Value
Florida residents receive exceptional value at UF and UCF, while out-of-state students should strongly consider Florida Tech’s consistent pricing.
The optimal choice depends on career goals, residency status, learning preferences, and time constraints. Florida residents have significant cost advantages at public institutions, while working professionals may find Florida Tech’s flexibility invaluable despite higher costs. Those seeking cutting-edge AI research should prioritize UF, while industry-focused students benefit from UCF’s practical approach.
List of Online Masters in Machine Learning Offerings in Florida
Melbourne, FL
Florida Institute of Technology-Online
- Master's - Computer Science, M.S.
Online Learning - Website
- Online program flexibility.
- Focus on algorithmic thinking.
- Hands-on research opportunities.
- State-of-the-art computing facilities.
- ABET-accredited curriculum.
- Expert faculty mentorship.
- Interdisciplinary research projects.
- Career-focused curriculum.
Orlando, FL
University of Central Florida
- Master's - Data Analytics (MS) - Artificial Intelligence Track
Concentration: Artificial Intelligence - Online & Campus Based - Website
- 30 credit hour program
- Hybrid learning format
- Focus on AI and data analytics
- No thesis required
- Semester-long project included
- Prepares for AI Analyst roles
- Opportunity for Ph.D. advancement
- $36,300 total cost
Who’s Hiring Machine Learning Engineers in Florida?
Florida’s thriving technology ecosystem spans from healthcare innovation to financial services and defense contracting, creating diverse opportunities for machine learning professionals. The state offers competitive compensation across traditional industries, cutting-edge AI research, and major technology companies.
Healthcare Technology and AI Innovation ($78K-$185K)
Baptist Health South Florida offers $142,599-$185,379 for Lead Applied ML Engineers requiring master’s degrees or 10+ years of experience. This remote position focuses on building end-to-end ML lifecycles for large-scale healthcare systems using cloud technologies and open-source frameworks. The role demands expertise in computer vision, NLP, deep learning, and distributed systems, emphasizing MLOps and model reliability for one of Florida’s largest healthcare organizations.
Highmark Health in Tallahassee provides $78,900-$147,500 for Agentic AI Engineers developing autonomous decision-making systems. This cutting-edge role requires 5+ years of software development experience with 3+ years in large language models and AI agent systems. Candidates need expertise in Python, LLM fine-tuning, prompt engineering, and agentic frameworks like LangChain and AutoGPT, focusing on generative AI applications in healthcare operations.
Financial Services and Enterprise Solutions ($80K-$225K)
Booz Allen Hamilton in Doral leads compensation at $99,000-$225,000 for AI/ML Engineers requiring Secret security clearance. This defense contractor role emphasizes natural language processing, large language models, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) solutions. Candidates need experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, big data technologies (Hive, PySpark, Databricks), and DevOps tools (Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab CI/CD) for mission-critical government applications.
Citi in Tampa offers $80,000-$120,000 for Machine Learning & Data Science Development Engineers applying ML techniques to financial data. The position requires expertise in feature engineering, model selection, data anomaly detection, and end-to-end ML solution development. Candidates work closely with product owners developing client solutions across banking channels, requiring strong visualization and documentation skills.
Cruise and Travel Industry Innovation ($120K-$150K)
Royal Caribbean Cruises in Miami provides competitive packages for Senior Machine Learning Operations Engineers, requiring 5+ years of data analytics experience with 3+ years in ML Engineering/MLOps. This on-site position focuses on revenue generation and cost optimization projects, emphasizing Python package development, feature stores, and automated CI/CD deployments. The role involves supporting data scientists, business stakeholders, and data engineers in scaling ML solutions across cruise operations.
Publix Super Markets in Lakeland offers $120,000-$150,000 for Lead Data and Machine Learning Engineers developing retail optimization solutions. This position requires leadership experience mentoring junior team members while collaborating with cross-functional teams to understand business objectives. Candidates design ML models solving complex retail problems, maintain scalable data pipelines, and communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Technology Consulting and Software Development
AgileEngine in Tampa seeks Machine Learning Engineers with 3+ years of experience in data ingestion, analysis, and pipeline maintenance. This Inc. 5000 company requires hands-on LLM fine-tuning experience, familiarity with LLM architectures, and AI/LLM optimization using open frameworks. The role emphasizes AWS environments, containers, and data orchestration tools, with healthcare domain experience preferred.
Rhythm Innovations in Sunrise provides competitive packages for Machine Learning Developers with 3-6 years of experience in model development and deployment. This supply chain risk management company requires proficiency in Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and scikit-learn, along with cloud platform experience (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud). The role involves feature engineering, algorithm optimization, and MLOps pipeline management.
Remote and Contract Opportunities ($40/hour+)
DataAnnotation offers $40+ per hour for remote Machine Learning Engineer positions training AI chatbots in Clearwater. This flexible contract role requires Python or JavaScript proficiency with excellent writing skills for evaluating AI model performance. Candidates can work 5-40 hours weekly with project-based compensation and performance bonuses.
Avani Technology Solutions in Tampa provides 5-10 month contracts for Machine Learning Engineers requiring professional experience in coding, designing, and analyzing data in data science settings. The role emphasizes end-to-end ML workflow creation, training pipelines, and feature engineering using modern data processing technologies including Hadoop, Hive, AWS Cloud, and Spark ecosystem.
Common Requirements Across Florida Employers
Technical Skills: Python programming dominates all job postings, with TensorFlow and PyTorch being the most requested frameworks. Cloud platform experience (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) appears universally, while healthcare roles emphasize HIPAA compliance and data security protocols.
Security Clearances: Defense contractors like Booz Allen Hamilton require active security clearances, significantly impacting earning potential and restricting opportunities to U.S. citizens with appropriate background investigations.
Industry Specialization: Florida’s healthcare sector drives demand for AI applications in patient care optimization and clinical decision support. The state’s tourism and cruise industries seek ML solutions for customer experience enhancement and operational efficiency. Financial services focus on fraud detection, risk management, and customer analytics.
Experience Levels: Entry-level positions typically require 3+ years of experience with specific technology stacks, while senior roles demand 5-10+ years with leadership capabilities. Healthcare and defense positions often require advanced degrees or equivalent professional experience.
Work Arrangements: Many positions offer hybrid or remote work options, particularly in technology consulting and contract roles. Healthcare and financial services companies often require on-site presence for security and compliance reasons.
Soft Skills: All employers emphasize cross-functional collaboration, stakeholder communication, and the ability to translate technical concepts for business audiences. Leadership and mentoring capabilities are particularly valued in senior positions, especially in healthcare and enterprise environments.
Florida’s machine learning job market reflects the state’s economic diversity, combining traditional industries like healthcare and finance with emerging technology applications in tourism, retail, and defense. The salary ranges demonstrate strong demand for ML professionals, particularly those who can bridge technical expertise with business acumen while navigating industry-specific regulatory requirements and security protocols.