Palm Beach State College
#6 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Florida- Graduation Rate
- 41% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $41,923 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $9,182 B+
- 46% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 21,956
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.1 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Florida.
Every $1 spent returns $30.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,069,405.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 41% — 28% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $30.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Palm Beach State College
Palm Beach State College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 21,956
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice
Why students choose Palm Beach State College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $9,182 a year after grants and scholarships — 46% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $41,923 ten years after enrolling — 3% above the typical college, against $7,081 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 30% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.84 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Nearly 22,000 students choose Palm Beach State College each year for its accessible education in sunny Lake Worth, Florida. The net price of just $9,182 makes it an attractive option for many, especially for those looking to minimize debt while pursuing their degrees.
According to data from Chetty/Opportunity Insights, Palm Beach State College plays a significant role in promoting upward mobility for its students. While specific mobility rates are not detailed, the college's focus on practical programs in fields like health professions and business suggests a commitment to helping students improve their economic status post-graduation.
Graduates from Palm Beach State College earn a median salary of $41,923 ten years after enrollment. With a median debt of only $7,081, students can expect a manageable financial burden. The college's diverse programs, including humanities, criminal justice, and culinary arts, attract a broad range of students who thrive in a supportive community focused on practical skills and career readiness.
Rankings
- #6 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Florida
- #7 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Florida
- #7 Best Online Nursing Programs in Florida
- #10 Best Online Business Programs in Florida
- #16 Best Nursing Colleges in Florida
- #16 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Florida
- #28 Best Master's Programs in Florida
- #28 Best Online Colleges in Florida
Can I Get In?
How selective Palm Beach State College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Palm Beach State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Palm Beach State College, located in Lake Worth, Florida, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.
- Full-Time Faculty
- 34%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,015
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 27:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.73
- First-Gen Students
- 49%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Palm Beach State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Palm Beach State College is $10,910, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $9,182. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,131 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,081 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $3,050
- Out-of-State
- $10,910
- Avg Net Price
- $9,182
- Median Debt
- $7,081
- Pell Grant Rate
- 38%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 11%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $8,131
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $8,675
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $10,862
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,013
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Palm Beach State College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Palm Beach State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Palm Beach State College report median earnings of $41,923, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $33,729
- 8 Years
- $38,259
- 10 Years
- $41,923
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.17x
- Earning > $25K
- 54%
Earnings Trajectory
How Palm Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Palm Beach State College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Palm Beach State College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,182/year ($36,728 total). Graduates earn $41,923 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,106,133 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,069,405 (30.1× your investment). The median debt is $7,081, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 41% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $36,728
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,106,133
- Net Return
- $1,069,405
- ROI Multiple
- 30.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $9,182
- Median Debt
- $7,081
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 41%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Palm Beach State College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Palm Beach State College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.94%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 16.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $61,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.94%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 12.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 16.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $84,100
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $8,615,143
- Investment Income
- $152,840
Top Programs
The fields Palm Beach State College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 47%
- Health Professions 20% $97,428 early-career
- Business & Marketing 9% $42,821 early-career
- Criminal Justice 6% $38,259 early-career
- Culinary & Personal Services 5% $19,212 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 5% $60,922 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 2% $37,952 early-career
- Legal Studies 1% $46,136 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Palm Beach State College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Palm Beach State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Palm Beach State College, located in Lake Worth, Florida, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Palm Beach State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Palm Beach State College is $10,910, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $9,182. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,131 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,081 in federal student loans.
Is Palm Beach State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Palm Beach State College report median earnings of $41,923, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Palm Beach State College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Palm Beach State College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.94%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 16.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $61,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Palm Beach State College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Palm Beach State College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.12). Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Palm Beach State College.
- Seminole State College of FloridaSanford, FL · Close peer42% grad $41,733 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- San Jacinto Community CollegePasadena, TX · Close peer32% grad $43,062 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Broward CollegeFort Lauderdale, FL · Close peer38% grad $41,939 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville, FL · Close peer35% grad $42,244 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Hillsborough CollegeTampa, FL · Close peer34% grad $40,782 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Florida SouthWestern State CollegeFort Myers, FL · Close peer39% grad $43,421 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Palm Beach State College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Palm Beach State College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.12). Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note