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Winter Haven, FL · Palatka, FL
| Polk State College | Saint Johns River State College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $9,427/yr | $6,135/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $9,446/yr | $6,157/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $10,076 | $12,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $9,203/yr | $4,635/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $9,502/yr | $6,860/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $7,464/yr | No data reported |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $107/mo | $127/mo |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,186/yr | $12,604/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $2,698/yr | $2,134/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $13,451/yr | $12,906/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $2,694/yr | $2,591/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $9,817/yr | $9,335/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 32% | 19% |
| Students taking federal loans | 6.5% | 6.8% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 35% | 49% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $40,624/yr | $41,728/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $23,502–$60,243 | $23,951–$60,854 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 35% | 39% |
| White students graduating | 43% | 53% |
| Black students graduating | 21% | 19% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 31% | 44% |
| Asian students graduating | 38% | 30% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $35,602/yr | $35,537/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 58% | 55% |
| Pell students who graduate | 31% | 47% |
| First-gen students who finish | 25% | 24% |
| Low-income students who finish | 23% | 23% |
| Students who transfer out | 19% | 20% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $37,426/yr | $38,429/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 43% · Health Professions 19% · Business, Management & Marketing 16% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 57% · Health Professions 25% · Homeland Security & Protective Services 7% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 43% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 57% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 19% of degrees | Health Professions — 25% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 7% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 13% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 5% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Education — 3% of degrees | Education — 3% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $81,004/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $79,275/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 2.9% | 2.6% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 7,180 | 4,403 |
| Students per professor | 19 : 1 | 19 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $7,338/mo | $6,135/mo |
| Full-time professors | 39% | 93% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $23,968 | $24,832 |
| Setting | City (small) | Town (distant) |
| Location | Winter Haven, FL | Palatka, FL |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1964 | 1958 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Mixed Baccalaureate/Associate's | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Mixed Baccalaureate/Associate's |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 4.4% | 0.6% |
| Men | 35% | 35% |
| Women | 65% | 65% |
| White students | 27% | 60% |
| Black students | 11% | 12% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 30% | 16% |
| Asian students | 1.6% | 2.3% |
| Two or more races | 2.6% | 5.3% |
| Other / not reported | 23% | 3.4% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 51% | 43% |
| Part-time students | 65% | 59% |
| Students age 25+ | 28% | 16% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $6,640/yr | $4,989/yr |
| Endowment | $35.4M | $3.4M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | No — no campus housing |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | No |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | No |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | No | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | Yes |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NJCAA Division I | NJCAA Division II |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 5 | 4 |
| Student athletes | 93 | 70 |
| Athletic scholarships | $636,808 | $454,274 |
| Athletics budget | $1.4M | $1.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $1.4M | $1.7M |
| Recruiting spend | $3,350 | $5,201 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.