C
Average
Score: 53/100
Overall (traditional)
C+
Outcome Rating
58/100 · earnings-weighted

Polk State College

4-Year Public
📍 Winter Haven, Florida 33881
ℹ️
Rating Context: ⚠️ Limited Data Available. Some metrics for this institution are incomplete or unavailable, which may affect the overall grade. Consider researching this school directly for the most current information.

Suggested Focus: For this type of institution, we recommend prioritizing the Outcomes Score (C) which measures graduation and job placement rates — the most relevant metrics for career programs.
Graduation Rate: 34%
Outcomes
C
52/100
Affordability
B+
79/100
Resources
C+
58/100
Experience
C
47/100
Prestige
F
28/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

7,963
Total Enrollment
34%
Graduation Rate
N/A
Retention Rate
20.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
N/A
Acceptance Rate
$9,832
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near Polk State College ▼

9% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$264,709
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,760
1-Year Change
-2.6%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Polk State College, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$40,624
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$35,602
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$10,076
Median debt at graduation
35.3%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
31.7%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 25% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 68th percentile among associate-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (FL wage index 0.88). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at Polk State College

Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$81,004$94,269+6%#218 of 966#142$14,022
Criminal Justice and Corrections$40,808$55,634+0%#305 of 660#184$12,998
Business Administration, Management and Operations$45,921$52,404-23%#1040 of 1176#988$16,561
Air Transportation$50,499—————
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$48,210————$15,000

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The Polk State College Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $264,709
  • Avg rent near campus: $1,760/mo
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 33839 (5.8% cap, Eagle Lake)

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🏆 Where Polk State College Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

#27
Corrections
of 35 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $2,483 $9,933

Financial Aid

84%
Receive Any Aid
58%
Receive Pell Grants
4%
Take Out Loans
$9,832
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$8,439
$30,001 - $48,000$8,826
$48,001 - $75,000$10,302
$75,001 - $110,000$8,377

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 794 grads/yr Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 202 grads/yr Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other 192 grads/yr Criminal Justice/Police Science 138 grads/yr Business Administration and Management, General 58 grads/yr Corrections 57 grads/yr Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) 42 grads/yr Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 32 grads/yr Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 32 grads/yr Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General 25 grads/yr Child Care Provider/Assistant 22 grads/yr Elementary Education and Teaching 19 grads/yr Network and System Administration/Administrator 18 grads/yr Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer 17 grads/yr Health/Health Care Administration/Management 17 grads/yr Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design 15 grads/yr Early Childhood Education and Teaching 14 grads/yr Medical Insurance Specialist/Medical Biller 14 grads/yr Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 13 grads/yr Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping 13 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from Polk State College's top programs commonly pursue.

Postsecondary teachers, all other
$78k/yr 183,400 jobs
Registered nurses
$94k/yr 3,391,000 jobs
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
$80k/yr 91,600 jobs
Detectives and criminal investigators
$94k/yr 117,900 jobs
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
$76k/yr 698,800 jobs
Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary
$71k/yr 16,200 jobs
Bailiffs
$57k/yr 19,000 jobs
Private detectives and investigators
$52k/yr 43,600 jobs

Student Demographics

7,963
Total Students
65%
Women
51%
Traditional Age (18-24)
9%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 42%
Hispanic 30%
Black 17%
Asian 3%
Two or More 4%
Non-Resident 1%

🏠 Living Arrangements

Off-Campus (Renters) 9%
With Family 91%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~717 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 27%
Hybrid (Some Online) 32%
Fully Online 41%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 51%
25-64 (Adult) 28%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Polk State College?
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.
How much does it cost to attend Polk State College?
Tuition at Polk State College is $2,483 for in-state students and $9,933 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $9,832.
What is the graduation rate at Polk State College?
The graduation rate at Polk State College is 34%. This graduation rate is low, which may reflect the institution's student population, program types, or other factors worth investigating.
Is Polk State College a good school?
Polk State College has a Repit College Score of 53/100 (Grade: C). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (C): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B+): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C+): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (C): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (F): Reputation and recognition
Note: As a smaller institution, we recommend focusing on the Outcomes score when evaluating this school.
How many students attend Polk State College?
Polk State College has a total enrollment of 7,963 students.
Is there rental demand near Polk State College?
Yes! Approximately 9% of students at Polk State College live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 717 students who need rental housing near campus.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Polk State College — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to Polk State College

Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.

C
Northwest Florida State College
Niceville, FL · 5,160 students
C
Lake-Sumter State College
Leesburg, FL · 5,064 students
C+
Gulf Coast State College
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C+
St Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL · 23,350 students
C+
Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, FL · 15,104 students
C+
Seminole State College of Florida
Sanford, FL · 14,104 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology