BaccalaureatePublicHSI

Polk State College

Winter Haven, Florida·Public, 4-year or above·Southeast·polk.edu

Polk State College has open admission, so it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements (effectively a 100% acceptance rate). 35% of students graduate within 150% of normal time, per 2024 IPEDS data. In-state tuition and fees are $2,694 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $9,817 (2024). Fall enrollment is 10,318 students, and 14,130 enrolled over the full 12-month year (2024). Source: IPEDS.

Acceptance
100%
Open admission
Graduation (150% time)
35%
—
Total enrollment
10,318
peer median 11,620
Avg net price
$9,427
+$1.6k vs Baccalaureate
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About

Polk State College (PSC) is a public college based in Winter Haven, Florida, United States, and is part of the Florida College System. Established in 1964, PSC operates its main campuses in Winter Haven and Lakeland, with additional education centers in Bartow and Lake Wales. The college offers both associate and bachelor’s degrees.

Graduation rate & outcomes

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

Overall completion
35%

Pell equity

9.3pp gap
Pell recipients
31%137 of 438
Non-Pell (all)
40%145 of 360
No Federal Aid
40%145 of 360

Non-Pell students graduate at a 9.3-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.

Of 51 Title IV programs, 11 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 39 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
51
Passing
11
21.6% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
1
2.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
2.0%
+1.4pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

51programs
  • Passing11 · 21.6%
  • No Data39 · 76.5%
  • Failing1 · 2.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
1
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
11
No data
39

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.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

12
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Associate Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
-11.5%
$28,739 vs $32,488
Computer Software and Media Applications
Associate Degree · Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
+27.6%
$41,443 vs $32,488
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Associate Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
+35.2%
$43,940 vs $32,488
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Associate Degree · Security And Protective Services
+47.9%
$48,056 vs $32,488
Business Administration Management and Operations
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+61.3%
$52,404 vs $32,488
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+66.0%
$53,932 vs $32,488
Business Administration Management and Operations
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+67.5%
$54,431 vs $32,488
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Bachelor Degree · Security And Protective Services
+71.2%
$55,634 vs $32,488

Debt vs earnings

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

8
Business Administration Management and Operations
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
35%
$18,250 debt · $52,404 earn
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Bachelor Degree · Security And Protective Services
27%
$15,227 debt · $55,634 earn
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
24%
$13,094 debt · $53,932 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
21%
$19,444 debt · $94,269 earn
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
19%
$13,359 debt · $69,815 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Associate Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
15%
$6,592 debt · $43,940 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
14%
$11,000 debt · $79,660 earn
Air Transportation
Associate Degree · Transportation And Materials Moving
7%
$5,500 debt · $83,657 earn

Accreditation status & history

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

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Accredited since 1967Next review Dec 2026

Programmatic accreditations · 6

Action history · 12

  1. Aug 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) - Programs leading to an associate degree
  2. Oct 2023Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation Removed
    American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education · Physical Therapy (PTA) - Programs for the physical therapist assistant
  3. May 2023Grant Substantive Change: Program
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  4. Oct 2022Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Denial
    American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education · Physical Therapy (PTA) - Programs for the physical therapist assistant
  5. Nov 2021Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Show Cause
    American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education · Physical Therapy (PTA) - Programs for the physical therapist assistant

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$9,446
$30–48k$9,203
$48–75k$9,502
$75–110k—
$110k+$7,464

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

Avg net price
$9,427
+$1,642vs Baccalaureate median $7,786
Federal loans
6.5%
In-state tuition and fees
$2,694
Out-of-state tuition and fees
$9,817

Federal aid volume & trends

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

In AY 2024–25, 4,510 students received $19.7M in Pell grants, alongside $6.3M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
4,510
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$19.7M
$19,683,527 total
Direct Loans
$6.3M
1,646 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

4k
’20
4k
’21
4k
’22
4k
’23
5k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$2.7M
835 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$3.5M
805 loan awards
Parent PLUS$30K
6 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.

Of 944 borrowers who entered repayment, 37 (3.9%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
3.9%
+1.6pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
944
Defaulted
37
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
10.1%
2017
11.2%
2018
10.1%
2019
3.9%
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 Polk State College

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs51
UndergraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

1,393 total completions
01Liberal Arts
76254.7%
02Health Professions
25017.9%
03Business
20114.4%
04Security/Protective
664.7%
05Education
402.9%
06Computer Sciences
292.1%
07Transportation
261.9%
08Family/Consumer Sci
110.8%
09Engineering Tech
70.5%
10Mechanic
10.1%

Enrollment trends & demographics

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

Fall total
10,318
12-mo unduplicated
14,130
Undergraduate
14,130
Graduate
0

Gender split

Men
37%5,211
Women
63%8,919

Race / ethnicity composition

Hispanic
29.6%
White
27.3%
Unknown
23.1%
Black
11.3%
Non-resident
4.4%
Two or more
2.5%
Asian
1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
93
36 M · 57 W
Women athletes
61.3%
Athletic aid
$637K
Total student aid
Budget
$1.4M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$253K
$384K
Recruiting expense
$2K
$2K
Head-coach salaries
$66K
$58K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 5

Soccer
— · 27 W
$269K
Baseball
24 M · —
$311K
Softball
— · 20 W
$221K
Basketball
12 M · —
$274K
Volleyball
— · 10 W
$219K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

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

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.25
2 offenses · 7,963 students

3-year trend

0.002 yrs ago0.001 yr ago0.25Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
2
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
1
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Burglary
1
Motor vehicle theft
1

By location

2total
  • On campus2

VAWA offenses

1
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
0
Stalking
1 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.

Student-to-faculty
19.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
158

Polk State College vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Polk State College selected for federal comparison reporting.

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
SubjectPolk State College
—Open admission10,318$9,427Baccalaureate
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
—Open admission6,510$11,602Community College
Bluegrass Community and Technical College
—Open admission12,965$6,113Community College
Broward College
—Open admission30,728$14,506Baccalaureate
Cape Fear Community College
—Open admission14,082$9,610Community College
Central Piedmont Community College
—Open admission20,375$3,345Community College
Chattanooga State Community College
—Open admission7,623$5,283Community College
Delgado Community College
—Open admission12,712$9,747Community College
Eastern Florida State College
—Open admission14,053$6,440Baccalaureate
Fayetteville Technical Community College
—Open admission11,755$3,589Community College
Forsyth Technical Community College
—Open admission9,099$7,200Community College
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
—90.8%17,437$11,453Community College
Greenville Technical College
—Open admission11,999$11,713Community College
Guilford Technical Community College
—Open admission11,485$15,002Community College
Hillsborough Community College
—Open admission21,483$3,861Community College
Hinds Community College
—Open admission8,859$4,060Community College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
—Open admission8,681$5,168Community College
Jefferson Community and Technical College
—Open admission13,429$6,376Community College
Jefferson State Community College
—Open admission9,240$9,086Community College
John C Calhoun State Community College
—Open admission9,119$7,660Community College
Midlands Technical College
—Open admission9,226$4,647Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
—Open admission8,694$6,962Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
—Open admission56,457$9,919Community College
Northwest Mississippi Community College
—Open admission7,867$7,911Community College
Palm Beach State College
—Open admission25,916$9,182Baccalaureate
Pellissippi State Community College
—Open admission9,399$4,983Community College
Pensacola State College
—Open admission9,491$3,957Baccalaureate
Pitt Community College
—Open admission7,684$7,337Community College
Santa Fe College
—Open admission12,758$11,098Baccalaureate
Seminole State College of Florida
—Open admission15,390$8,970Baccalaureate
Southwest Tennessee Community College
—100.0%7,004$4,754Community College
State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota
—Open admission8,750$22,356Baccalaureate
Tidewater Community College
—Open admission16,884$11,762Community College
Trident Technical College
—Open admission13,552$1,406Community College
University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College
—Open admission4,478$14,327Community College
Valencia College
—Open admission47,425$12,037Baccalaureate
Virginia Peninsula Community College
—Open admission6,410$7,012Community College
Wake Technical Community College
—Open admission24,609$8,759Community College
Peer group median—95.4%11,620$7,786

Institutions like Polk State College

Explore the federal data for institutions in Polk State College's comparison group.

  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    6,510
    Net price
    $11,602
  • Community CollegeKentucky

    Bluegrass Community and Technical College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    12,965
    Net price
    $6,113
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Broward College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    30,728
    Net price
    $14,506
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Cape Fear Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    14,082
    Net price
    $9,610
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Central Piedmont Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    20,375
    Net price
    $3,345
  • Community CollegeTennessee

    Chattanooga State Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    7,623
    Net price
    $5,283
  • Community CollegeLouisiana

    Delgado Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    12,712
    Net price
    $9,747
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Eastern Florida State College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    14,053
    Net price
    $6,440
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Fayetteville Technical Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    11,755
    Net price
    $3,589
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Forsyth Technical Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    9,099
    Net price
    $7,200
  • Community CollegeGeorgia

    Georgia State University-Perimeter College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    90.8%
    Enrollment
    17,437
    Net price
    $11,453
  • Community CollegeSouth Carolina

    Greenville Technical College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    11,999
    Net price
    $11,713
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Guilford Technical Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    11,485
    Net price
    $15,002
  • Community CollegeFlorida

    Hillsborough Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    21,483
    Net price
    $3,861
  • Community CollegeMississippi

    Hinds Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    8,859
    Net price
    $4,060
  • Community CollegeVirginia

    J Sargeant Reynolds Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    8,681
    Net price
    $5,168
  • Community CollegeKentucky

    Jefferson Community and Technical College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    13,429
    Net price
    $6,376
  • Community CollegeAlabama

    Jefferson State Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    9,240
    Net price
    $9,086
  • Community CollegeAlabama

    John C Calhoun State Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    9,119
    Net price
    $7,660
  • Community CollegeSouth Carolina

    Midlands Technical College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    9,226
    Net price
    $4,647
  • Community CollegeMississippi

    Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    8,694
    Net price
    $6,962
  • Community CollegeVirginia

    Northern Virginia Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    56,457
    Net price
    $9,919
  • Community CollegeMississippi

    Northwest Mississippi Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    7,867
    Net price
    $7,911
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Palm Beach State College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    25,916
    Net price
    $9,182
  • Community CollegeTennessee

    Pellissippi State Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    9,399
    Net price
    $4,983
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Pensacola State College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    9,491
    Net price
    $3,957
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Pitt Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    7,684
    Net price
    $7,337
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Santa Fe College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    12,758
    Net price
    $11,098
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Seminole State College of Florida

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    15,390
    Net price
    $8,970
  • Community CollegeTennessee

    Southwest Tennessee Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    100.0%
    Enrollment
    7,004
    Net price
    $4,754
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    8,750
    Net price
    $22,356
  • Community CollegeVirginia

    Tidewater Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    16,884
    Net price
    $11,762
  • Community CollegeSouth Carolina

    Trident Technical College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    13,552
    Net price
    $1,406
  • Community CollegeArkansas

    University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    4,478
    Net price
    $14,327
  • BaccalaureateFlorida

    Valencia College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    47,425
    Net price
    $12,037
  • Community CollegeVirginia

    Virginia Peninsula Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    6,410
    Net price
    $7,012
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Wake Technical Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    24,609
    Net price
    $8,759

Polk State College Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to Institutional Effectiveness, Accreditation and Research
Phone
(863) 297-1000
Address
Winter Haven Campus, Administration Building (WAD) corridor

The office coordinates data submissions for external reporting, publishes data in the annual FactBook, and provides various college and higher education data to support decision-making at the institution.

Visit IR office page
Team
10 members
  • Mary Clark
    Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness, Accreditation and Research
  • Vijay Bommini
    Research Specialist
  • Daniel Braun
    Research Specialist
  • Erin Martinez
    Director of Grants Development and Administration
  • Natasha Mohamed
    Grants Coordinator
  • Alby Reyes
    Administrative Assistant III
  • Gregory Rogers
    Director
  • Mary Ellen Schmitt
    Grant Writer
  • Gary Smith
    Assessment Specialist
  • Elizabeth Wemlinger
    Director

Reports & documents (2)

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

Notable alumni of Polk State College (16)

A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

  • Frank Attkisson
  • Mark Brisker
  • TC Clements
  • Neil Combee
  • Destin Damachoua
  • Shaheed Davis
  • Robert Gilchrist
    Athletics
  • Denise Grimsley
  • Kenny Howes
  • Lance Jeter
  • Grady Judd
  • Dominick Nelson
Showing 1–12 of 16
1 / 2

Frequently asked questions about Polk State College

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Polk State College.

What is the acceptance rate at Polk State College?

Polk State College 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 Polk State College?

At Polk State College, 35% of students graduate within 150% of normal time, per 2024 IPEDS data.

How many students attend Polk State College?

Polk State College reports a total enrollment of 10,318 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Polk State College?

The average net price at Polk State College is $9,427 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

Where is Polk State College located?

Polk State College is located in Winter Haven, Florida 33881-4299.

Who runs Institutional Research at Polk State College?

Polk State College's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to Institutional Effectiveness, Accreditation and Research.

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.
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.
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.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
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.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.

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