Polk State College
Winter Haven, FL 33881-4299
About Polk State College
Polk State College is a public community college in Winter Haven, Florida, serving roughly 7,180 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $9,427 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $2,694. Student demographics in federal data include Hispanic or Latino (29.6%) and White (27.3%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Polk State College charges about 0.5× the national public median tuition ($2,694).
- Versus the Florida median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 35.34%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $40,624.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Polk State College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 977% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk State College | $2,694 | $9,427 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Florida (state median) | $16,838 | $7,247 | 176 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Polk State College really?
Key findings
- Polk State College charges about 0.5× the national public median tuition ($2,694).
- Versus the Florida median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
Polk State College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $2,694
Finding Polk State College charges about 0.5× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $2,694. That is about 0.5× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Florida median ($16,838), sticker tuition is about 0.2×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.2×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Polk State College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Polk State College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Polk State College is $9,427.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $9,427 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,180 above the Florida median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $5,544 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Polk State College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Polk State College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Polk State College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$2,694
Out-of-state tuition
$9,817
Avg. net price
$9,427
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $9,446 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $9,203 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $9,502 |
| $110,001+ | $7,464 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $10,776. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Polk State College is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies794
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse202
- Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other192
- Criminal Justice/Police Science138
- Business Administration and Management, General58
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Polk State College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Polk State College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Polk State College.
Campus
Location
Winter Haven, FL
City / state
- ZIP
- 33881-4299
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 37% below the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Medical Schools and Centers
Size
Enrollment
7,180
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 14,130
- Full-time share
- 35%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$10,076
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 31.73%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Polk State College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Polk State College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Polk State College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $9,259 |
| 2014 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $9,216 |
| 2015 | $3,366 | $12,271 | $8,912 |
| 2016 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $8,769 |
| 2017 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $8,489 |
| 2018 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $7,327 |
| 2019 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $9,740 |
| 2020 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $8,722 |
| 2021 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $7,994 |
| 2022 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $9,107 |
| 2023 | $3,366 | $12,272 | $9,027 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Polk State College reported total enrollment of about 7,180 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 35% male and 65% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (29.6%), White (27.3%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (23.1%). About 31.73% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 51.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
34.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Polk State College in 2024 is 7,180 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 14,130 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
N/A%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
0.00% 100% Completion Time
35.34% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 0.00% of students graduating from Polk State College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 32% male / 68% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 10% male / 90% female
- Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other: 39% male / 61% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Polk State College graduates earn a median of $40,624 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Polk State College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $40,624. Median federal loan debt: $10,076. Average net price used in cost models: $9,427.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Polk State College graduates report median earnings of $40,624 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Polk State College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (39 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Polk State College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Polk State College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Polk State College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$32M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Florida median 0.89× the median ($35.9M)
- Southeast median 1.6× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($26.4M)
- Florida median 0.68× the median ($7,784)
- Southeast median 0.57× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.44× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 38.9%
- Florida median 9.3 pp below median (48.2%)
- Southeast median 20.5 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 19.0 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,338
- Florida median 1.1× the median ($6,877)
- Southeast median 1.1× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $6,640
- Florida median 1.1× the median ($5,803)
- Southeast median near the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 0.91× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Polk State College at a glance
Polk State College
Polk State College is a public institution in Winter Haven, FL, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Medical Schools and Centers.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesRegistered Nursing/Registered NurseBusiness Administration, Management and Operations, Other
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino29.6%White or Caucasian27.3%Race/ethnicity unknown23.1%
Schools near Polk State College
Other campuses in Winter Haven, FL when available, plus nearby institutions in Florida.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Florida, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Polk State College located?
Polk State College is located in Winter Haven, FL.
What is Polk State College's tuition?
Polk State College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $2,694 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $9,427 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Polk State College cost?
Reported tuition is $2,694 and average net price is $9,427 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,186 annually.
What explains Polk State College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($9,427), completion (35.3% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($40,624). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Polk State College?
Polk State College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 14,130 students, Hispanic or Latino (29.6%), White (27.3%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Polk State College?
About 51.4% of students at Polk State College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Polk State College earn?
Median earnings are $35,602 six years after entry and $40,624 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Polk State College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 35.3% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Polk State College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $10,076.
Is Polk State College public or private?
Polk State College is a public institution located in Winter Haven, FL.
Is Polk State College an HBCU?
No. Polk State College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Polk State College a tribal college?
No. Polk State College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.