Gulf Coast State College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Panama City, Florida. It enrolls 3,934 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
81/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes65
Value90
Affordability60
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Gulf Coast State College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Gulf Coast State College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $4,709 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$4,709
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
28%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
7%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$2,370
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,635
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,482
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,968
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,657
Application fee: $20 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$2,915
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,369
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,483
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,806
Over $110,000
$12,071
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,39810%percentile
$2,50025%percentile
$7,147Medianpercentile
$10,50075%percentile
$19,81090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $5,999
↓ $1,148
No Pell $5,400
↓ $1,747
Dependent students $4,135
↓ $3,012
Independent students $7,225
—
Female students $5,500
↓ $1,647
Male students $5,500
↓ $1,647
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,898, less than completers ($7,147), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
29% of full-time students who enrolled at Gulf Coast State College graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
29%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Gulf Coast State College earn a median of $38,359 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,359
Earning > $25K
63%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$30,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$40,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$30,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$43,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,200, about 25% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
17.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 70% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Gulf Coast State College is home to 3,934 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 49% are first-generation college students, 48% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
3,934
Part-Time
48%
First-Generation
49%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 64.5%2,537
Black 13.1%517
Hispanic 10.1%399
Other 7.0%276
Asian 2.8%110
International 1.5%58
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Gulf Coast State College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityPanama City, Florida
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
31%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Gulf Coast State College offers
a varied set of programs:
27 distinct programs across
13 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Gulf Coast State College is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,447
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$35M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$52,651
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
129 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
25
19%
$65,841
Associate Professors
23
18%
$56,652
Assistant Professors
26
20%
$49,871
Instructors
15
12%
$51,003
No Rank
40
31%
$44,531
Pros & Cons of Gulf Coast State College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Gulf Coast State College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Gulf Coast State College is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gulf Coast State College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Gulf Coast State College.
How much does Gulf Coast State College cost?
The average net price after aid at Gulf Coast State College is $4,709 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Gulf Coast State College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $38,359 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $4,709 per year. That's roughly 8.1x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Gulf Coast State College known for?
Gulf Coast State College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Gulf Coast State College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Gulf Coast State College are $38,359, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Gulf Coast State College accredited?
Yes. Gulf Coast State College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Gulf Coast State College?
Gulf Coast State College enrolls 3,934 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Gulf Coast State College?
Gulf Coast State College graduates 29% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Gulf Coast State College a public or private college?
Gulf Coast State College is a Public institution.
Where is Gulf Coast State College located?
Gulf Coast State College is located in Panama City, Florida.
What programs does Gulf Coast State College offer?
Gulf Coast State College offers 27 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Gulf Coast State College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Gulf Coast State College is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Rankings That Feature Gulf Coast State College
Gulf Coast State College appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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93 UCD Score
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91 UCD Score
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93 UCD Score
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$71,588 Top Earn
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93 UCD Score
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$1,133 Lowest Net
$71,588 Top Earn
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