TLDR
- Step Up says families may qualify for Step Up, Step Further if household income is at or below 300% of the area median income (AMI) for their county.12
- The table below multiplies each Florida county's HUD median family income for a family of four by three. It is an estimate, not an official Step Up number.
- Limits vary a lot by county. Our estimates run from $175,500 in Glades County to $388,800 in Monroe County.
- Step Up has not published which year, household size, or income definition it uses. Its own county tool calls the result a preliminary estimate, and final eligibility is decided when you apply.3
- Example: Orange County's median is $97,600, so the estimated limit is $292,800.
Step Up, Step Further is a new scholarship fund scheduled to begin in 2027. Step Up's website has a lookup tool where you choose your county, but there is no single list you can scan. This page puts every Florida county in one table so you can see where your county falls. For the basics of the scholarship, start with our overview of Step Up, Step Further.
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How the Income Limit Works
Step Up says students may qualify if their household income is at or below 300% of the area median income for their Florida county.12 A national analysis of the federal program by the AFC Scholarship Fund describes the limit as based on area median gross income published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with adjustments for family size.4
HUD publishes a median family income figure for every county each year. The figures below are HUD's 2026 numbers for a family of four, effective May 1, 2026, as listed by Florida Housing Finance Corporation and the University of Florida's Shimberg Center.56 We multiplied each by three.
Estimated Income Limit by Florida County
| County | HUD median family income (family of four) | Estimated limit (300%) |
|---|---|---|
| Alachua | $99,100 | $297,300 |
| Baker | $103,200 | $309,600 |
| Bay | $98,900 | $296,700 |
| Bradford | $81,100 | $243,300 |
| Brevard | $97,000 | $291,000 |
| Broward | $102,500 | $307,500 |
| Calhoun | $67,100 | $201,300 |
| Charlotte | $97,500 | $292,500 |
| Citrus | $81,400 | $244,200 |
| Clay | $108,700 | $326,100 |
| Collier | $121,000 | $363,000 |
| Columbia | $83,000 | $249,000 |
| DeSoto | $65,800 | $197,400 |
| Dixie | $60,400 | $181,200 |
| Duval | $108,700 | $326,100 |
| Escambia | $92,800 | $278,400 |
| Flagler | $114,500 | $343,500 |
| Franklin | $82,300 | $246,900 |
| Gadsden | $99,500 | $298,500 |
| Gilchrist | $99,100 | $297,300 |
| Glades | $58,500 | $175,500 |
| Gulf | $80,700 | $242,100 |
| Hamilton | $59,000 | $177,000 |
| Hardee | $71,300 | $213,900 |
| Hendry | $65,300 | $195,900 |
| Hernando | $104,700 | $314,100 |
| Highlands | $75,600 | $226,800 |
| Hillsborough | $104,700 | $314,100 |
| Holmes | $63,700 | $191,100 |
| Indian River | $105,200 | $315,600 |
| Jackson | $65,000 | $195,000 |
| Jefferson | $99,500 | $298,500 |
| Lafayette | $75,200 | $225,600 |
| Lake | $97,600 | $292,800 |
| Lee | $105,700 | $317,100 |
| Leon | $99,500 | $298,500 |
| Levy | $68,800 | $206,400 |
| Liberty | $75,500 | $226,500 |
| Madison | $65,600 | $196,800 |
| Manatee | $109,700 | $329,100 |
| Marion | $84,000 | $252,000 |
| Martin | $102,000 | $306,000 |
| Miami-Dade | $89,800 | $269,400 |
| Monroe | $129,600 | $388,800 |
| Nassau | $108,700 | $326,100 |
| Okaloosa | $106,700 | $320,100 |
| Okeechobee | $72,600 | $217,800 |
| Orange | $97,600 | $292,800 |
| Osceola | $97,600 | $292,800 |
| Palm Beach | $107,600 | $322,800 |
| Pasco | $104,700 | $314,100 |
| Pinellas | $104,700 | $314,100 |
| Polk | $83,900 | $251,700 |
| Putnam | $73,500 | $220,500 |
| Santa Rosa | $92,800 | $278,400 |
| Sarasota | $109,700 | $329,100 |
| Seminole | $97,600 | $292,800 |
| St. Johns | $108,700 | $326,100 |
| St. Lucie | $102,000 | $306,000 |
| Sumter | $104,100 | $312,300 |
| Suwannee | $68,100 | $204,300 |
| Taylor | $61,300 | $183,900 |
| Union | $76,800 | $230,400 |
| Volusia | $90,800 | $272,400 |
| Wakulla | $100,400 | $301,200 |
| Walton | $97,600 | $292,800 |
| Washington | $74,100 | $222,300 |
What This Table Does Not Tell You
- Family size is not adjusted. The table uses the four-person figure. Federal rules are described as adjusting for family size, so a smaller or larger household may have a different limit. Step Up has not published the adjustment.
- The year and method are unconfirmed. Step Up's county tool does not say which year or data source it uses.3 Its numbers may differ slightly from this table.
- The income definition is not published. It is not yet clear whether Step Up will use gross income, tax return income, or another measure, or which documents will verify it. The U.S. Treasury is still finalizing its rules.
- This is not an eligibility decision. Step Up says its tool is a preliminary estimate and that final eligibility is determined through a full application review.3
How to Use This Page
- Find your county in the table and note the estimated limit.
- Compare it to your household's annual income.
- Check your county on Step Up's official AMI lookup tool for its figure.
- Join the Step Up, Step Further interest list to be told when applications open.
If you already receive PEP or FES-UA, read Can You Use Step Up, Step Further With PEP or FES-UA? to see what Step Up has said about using them together. You can also browse providers by category while you wait. A listing on our directory does not mean a provider is approved for Step Up, Step Further.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Step Up, Step Further income limit?
Step Up says families qualify if household income is at or below 300% of the area median income for their Florida county.12 Because area median income differs by county, the dollar limit does too.
Is the income limit the same across Florida?
No. It varies by county. Based on HUD's 2026 figures for a family of four, our estimates range from $175,500 in Glades County to $388,800 in Monroe County.5
Does my family size change the limit?
Possibly. Federal rules are described as adjusting for family size, but Step Up has not published how it will apply that.4 This page uses the four-person figure, so treat it as an estimate.
Do I need to be under this limit to keep PEP or FES-UA?
The 300% limit is the rule Step Up describes for Step Up, Step Further. Step Up's PEP handbook uses income to set award priority, not to decide eligibility for PEP.7
Is this page official?
No. Florida Education Vendors is an independent directory. For your official result, use Step Up's lookup tool and the application when it opens.
References
- Step Up, Step Further Scholarship Fund, For Parents. Available at stepupstepfurther.org/for-parents
- Step Up, Step Further Scholarship Fund, 5 Things Parents and Guardians Need to Know About the Education Freedom Tax Credit Scholarship, May 26, 2026. Available at stepupstepfurther.org
- Step Up, Step Further Scholarship Fund, AMI Lookup Tool. Available at stepupstepfurther.org/ami-lookup-tool
- AFC Scholarship Fund, Who Can Receive an EFTC Scholarship? New Report Details Every State. Available at afcscholarshipfund.org
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation, 2026 Combined Income and Rent Limits (HUD release effective May 1, 2026). Available at floridahousing.org
- University of Florida Shimberg Center, Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse, Income and Rent Limits. Available at flhousingdata.shimberg.ufl.edu
- Step Up For Students, 2026-27 PEP Family Handbook, last updated July 3, 2026, award prioritization. Available at stepupforstudents.org/document-library
Florida Education Vendors is an independent directory and is not affiliated with Step Up For Students or the Step Up, Step Further Scholarship Fund. This page is for informational purposes only and shows estimates, not eligibility decisions. Program details are still being finalized and change often. Always verify current information at stepupstepfurther.org and stepupforstudents.org before making any decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Step Up, Step Further income limit?
Step Up says families qualify if household income is at or below 300% of the area median income for their Florida county. Because area median income differs by county, the dollar limit does too.
Is the Step Up, Step Further income limit the same across Florida?
No. It varies by county. Based on HUD's 2026 figures for a family of four, estimates range from $175,500 in Glades County to $388,800 in Monroe County.
Does my family size change the Step Up, Step Further income limit?
Possibly. Federal rules are described as adjusting for family size, but Step Up has not published how it will apply that. The county table uses the four-person figure, so treat it as an estimate.
Do I need to be under the income limit to keep PEP or FES-UA?
The 300% limit is the rule Step Up describes for Step Up, Step Further. Step Up's PEP handbook uses income to set award priority, not to decide eligibility for PEP.
Is the county income table official?
No. Florida Education Vendors is an independent directory. For your official result, use Step Up's lookup tool and the application when it opens.