Palm Beach State College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Lake Worth, Florida. It enrolls 21,956 students (a very large 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
74/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes59
Value71
Affordability59
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Palm Beach State College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Palm Beach 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 $9,182 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,182
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
38%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
11%
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)
$3,050
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,910
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,825
Books & Supplies
$2,700
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,155
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,830
Application fee: $40 (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
$8,131
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,675
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,862
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,902
Over $110,000
$12,013
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.
$1,40910%percentile
$2,12425%percentile
$7,081Medianpercentile
$8,00475%percentile
$17,17590%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 $5,500
↓ $1,581
No Pell $4,500
↓ $2,581
Dependent students $4,500
↓ $2,581
Independent students $6,750
↓ $331
Female students $5,250
↓ $1,831
Male students $4,800
↓ $2,281
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,086, less than completers ($7,081), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
36% of full-time students who enrolled at Palm Beach State College graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
36%
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 Palm Beach State College earn a median of $41,923 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,923
Earning > $25K
67%
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
$35,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$42,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$45,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,800, about 18% 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 ↑
22.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 67% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Palm Beach State College is home to 21,956 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 49% are first-generation college students, 64% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
21,956
Part-Time
64%
First-Generation
49%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 35.6%7,821
Black 30.9%6,773
White 21.9%4,802
International 3.5%760
Other 2.8%610
Asian 2.2%472
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Palm Beach State College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbLake Worth, Florida
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
29%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Palm Beach State College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
56 distinct programs across
18 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 Palm Beach State College is 29:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
29:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$3,319
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$23M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$61,842
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
310 instructional faculty across 4 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
58
19%
$70,105
Associate Professors
37
12%
$61,917
Assistant Professors
75
24%
$60,960
Instructors
140
45%
$58,871
Pros & Cons of Palm Beach State College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Palm Beach 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
Flexible part-time enrollment options
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
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach State College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Palm Beach State College.
How much does Palm Beach State College cost?
The average net price after aid at Palm Beach State College is $9,182 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Palm Beach State College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,923 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,182 per year. That's roughly 4.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Palm Beach State College known for?
Palm Beach State College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Palm Beach State College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Palm Beach State College are $41,923, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Palm Beach State College accredited?
Yes. Palm Beach State College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Palm Beach State College?
Palm Beach State College enrolls 21,956 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Palm Beach State College?
Palm Beach State College graduates 36% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Palm Beach State College a public or private college?
Palm Beach State College is a Public institution.
Where is Palm Beach State College located?
Palm Beach State College is located in Lake Worth, Florida.
What programs does Palm Beach State College offer?
Palm Beach State College offers 56 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Palm Beach State College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Palm Beach State College is 29:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Other colleges in Florida share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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