Public

Polaris Career Center

Middleburg Heights, Ohio·Public, less-than 2-year·Great Lakes·polaris.edu

Polaris Career Center has open admission, so it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements (effectively a 100% acceptance rate). 77% of students graduate within 150% of normal time, per 2024 IPEDS data. Fall enrollment is 300 students, and 358 enrolled over the full 12-month year (2024). Source: IPEDS.

Acceptance
100%
Open admission
Graduation (150% time)
77%
—
Total enrollment
300
peer median 146
Avg net price
$9,931
-$2.1k vs peer
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AboutOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsCampus safetyFacultyPeersDocuments

About

Polaris Career Center is a public career-technical school in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. It works in conjunction with the 11th and 12th grade students from the Berea, Brooklyn, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Olmsted Falls, and Strongsville school districts. Polaris Career Center offers an opportunity that combines career training, academics and employability skills. Students can enter the job market after graduation or continue their education at a two-year or four-year college. Polaris opened in 1975 and is situated on 47 acres. Polaris completed a $57 million renovation of its entire Middleburg Heights campus in 2019. Polaris serves approximately 825 high school students at its Middleburg Heights campus and over 3,000 high school and middle school students at its satellite locations, as well as nearly 4,500 adults in open enrollment classes and Job & Career Training Programs.

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
77%
Full-time retention
85%

Pell equity

23.7pp gap
Pell recipients
68%26 of 38
Non-Pell (all)
92%22 of 24
Subsidized loan, no Pell
100%3 of 3
No Federal Aid
90%19 of 21

Non-Pell students graduate at a 23.7-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 10 Title IV programs, 0 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 10 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
10
Passing
0
0.0% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

10programs
  • Passing0 · 0.0%
  • No Data10 · 100.0%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
0
No data
10

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

4
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Undergraduate Certificate · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
21%
$7,699 debt · $36,276 earn
Precision Metal Working
Undergraduate Certificate · Precision Production
16%
$6,333 debt · $40,413 earn
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Undergraduate Certificate · Engineering Technologies/Technicians
12%
$6,333 debt · $53,337 earn
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Undergraduate Certificate · Security And Protective Services
11%
$7,500 debt · $67,471 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Council on Occupational Education

Accredited since 2014Next review Dec 2026
PreaccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Council on Occupational Education

Accredited since 2013
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, Board of Trustees

Accredited since 1985

Programmatic accreditations · 1

Action history · 4

  1. Jul 2025Removal of Monitoring Status
    Council on Occupational Education
  2. Jun 2025Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Warning
    Council on Occupational Education
  3. Jun 2024Warning or Equivalent-Factors Affecting Academic Quality
    Council on Occupational Education
  4. Mar 2021Renewal of Accreditation
    Council on Occupational Education

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$8,080
$30–48k$14,171
$48–75k$15,171
$75–110k—
$110k+—

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$9,931
-$2,106vs peer median $12,037
Federal loans
31.7%

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 184 students received $840K in Pell grants, alongside $783K in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
184
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$840K
$840,430 total
Direct Loans
$783K
246 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

0k
’20
0k
’21
0k
’22
0k
’23
0k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$321K
122 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$429K
120 loan awards
Parent PLUS$33K
4 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 133 borrowers who entered repayment, 2 (1.5%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.5%
-0.8pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
133
Defaulted
2
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
5.6%
2017
3.8%
2018
3.6%
2019
1.5%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Polaris Career Center

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs14
UndergraduateOffered

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
300
12-mo unduplicated
358
Undergraduate
358
Graduate
0

Gender split

Men
48%172
Women
52%186

Race / ethnicity composition

White
54.0%
Black
17.3%
Hispanic
11.0%
Unknown
8.0%
Two or more
5.0%
Asian
4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.7%

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.00
0 offenses · 230 students

3-year trend

0.002 yrs ago0.001 yr ago0.00Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
0
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
0
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

No criminal offenses reported.

By location

0total

    VAWA offenses

    0
    Domestic violence
    0
    Dating violence
    0
    Stalking
    0 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

    Hate crimes by bias

    No hate crimes reported.

    Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

    CategoryArrestsReferrals
    Weapons00
    Drugs00
    Liquor00

    Residence-hall fires

    No residence-hall fires reported.

    Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

    Student-faculty ratio

    Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

    IPEDS
    Student-to-faculty
    12.0:1

    Polaris Career Center vs Peer comparison

    The peer institutions Polaris Career Center selected for federal comparison reporting.

    IPEDS
    6-yr gradRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
    This institutionPeer median

    A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

    Carnegie
    SubjectPolaris Career Center
    		—Open admission300$9,931—
    Apollo Career Center
    		—Open admission646$5,273—
    Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center
    		—Open admission41$9,303—
    Auburn Career Center
    		—Open admission292$12,051—
    Butler Technology and Career Development Schools
    		—82.1%596$27,137—
    Collins Career Technical Center
    		—Open admission454$9,468—
    Cuyahoga Valley Career Center
    		—100.0%131$26,966—
    Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools
    		—Open admission115$15,732—
    EHOVE Career Center
    		—Open admission398$22,773—
    Great Oaks Career Campuses
    		—Open admission142$12,037—
    Lorain County Joint Vocational School District
    		—Open admission87$11,578—
    Medina County Career Center
    		—Open admission43$8,835—
    Miami Valley Career Technology Center
    		—Open admission46$10,717—
    Pickaway Ross Joint Vocational School District
    		—Open admission145$8,151—
    Scioto County Career Technical Center
    		—Open admission175$16,765—
    Upper Valley Career Center
    		—Open admission131$16,282—
    Warren County Career Center
    		—Open admission298$24,731—
    Washington County Career Center-Adult Technical Training
    		—Open admission193$8,810—
    Wayne County Schools Career Center
    		—Open admission146$29,232—
    Peer group median—91.1%146$12,037

    Institutions like Polaris Career Center

    Explore the federal data for institutions in Polaris Career Center's comparison group.

    IPEDS
    • Ohio

      Apollo Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      646
      Net price
      $5,273
    • Ohio

      Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      41
      Net price
      $9,303
    • Ohio

      Auburn Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      292
      Net price
      $12,051
    • Ohio

      Butler Technology and Career Development Schools

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      82.1%
      Enrollment
      596
      Net price
      $27,137
    • Ohio

      Collins Career Technical Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      454
      Net price
      $9,468
    • Ohio

      Cuyahoga Valley Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      100.0%
      Enrollment
      131
      Net price
      $26,966
    • Ohio

      Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      115
      Net price
      $15,732
    • Ohio

      EHOVE Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      398
      Net price
      $22,773
    • Ohio

      Great Oaks Career Campuses

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      142
      Net price
      $12,037
    • Ohio

      Lorain County Joint Vocational School District

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      87
      Net price
      $11,578
    • Ohio

      Medina County Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      43
      Net price
      $8,835
    • Ohio

      Miami Valley Career Technology Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      46
      Net price
      $10,717
    • Ohio

      Pickaway Ross Joint Vocational School District

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      145
      Net price
      $8,151
    • Ohio

      Scioto County Career Technical Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      175
      Net price
      $16,765
    • Ohio

      Upper Valley Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      131
      Net price
      $16,282
    • Ohio

      Warren County Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      298
      Net price
      $24,731
    • Ohio

      Washington County Career Center-Adult Technical Training

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      193
      Net price
      $8,810
    • Ohio

      Wayne County Schools Career Center

      Grad rate
      —
      Admit rate
      Open admission
      Enrollment
      146
      Net price
      $29,232

    Reports & documents (1)

    Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

    Frequently asked questions about Polaris Career Center

    Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Polaris Career Center.

    What is the acceptance rate at Polaris Career Center?

    Polaris Career Center has an open admission policy, so it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements (effectively a 100% acceptance rate). Some programs, such as nursing, may have separate selective admission. IPEDS does not collect an admit rate for open-admission colleges.

    What is the graduation rate at Polaris Career Center?

    At Polaris Career Center, 77% of students graduate within 150% of normal time, per 2024 IPEDS data.

    How many students attend Polaris Career Center?

    Polaris Career Center reports a total enrollment of 300 students per the latest IPEDS.

    What is the average net price at Polaris Career Center?

    The average net price at Polaris Career Center is $9,931 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

    Where is Polaris Career Center located?

    Polaris Career Center is located in Middleburg Heights, Ohio 44130-3375.

    About the data on this page

    Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

    IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
    Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
    National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
    College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
    Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
    U.S. Department of Education
    FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
    Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
    U.S. Department of Education
    DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
    Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Federal Pell Grant & loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
    Pell Grant and Direct Loan recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
    Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
    Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
    Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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