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South Florida State College

#5 Most Affordable Colleges in Florida
Public Avon Park, FL · Suburban · Southeast · 80% data
A Value A Affordability B- Diversity
Graduation Rate
49% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$39,990 C
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$3,877 A
77% less than the typical college
Enrollment
2,045
Earnings -2% vs avg
Graduation -13% vs avg
Net Price +-77% vs avg
Mobility Top 47%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 65.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $65.6 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Most Affordable Colleges in Florida.

65.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $65.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,001,447.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Every $1 invested returns $65.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About South Florida State College

South Florida 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
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
2,045
Setting
Suburban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing

Why students choose South Florida State College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community
Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B-
Top 33% overall
C
Earnings
$39,990 median
A
Value
10.3× net price
A
Affordability
$3,877/yr net
C-
Graduation
49% graduate
C
Social Mobility
1.5% climb Q1→Q5
B-
Diversity
0.67 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Students at South Florida State College face one of the lowest net prices in the state, with an average cost of just $3,877 per year. This affordability makes it an attractive option for those seeking higher education without incurring excessive debt. The median debt for graduates stands at $7,368, allowing many to graduate with a manageable financial burden.

The Chetty/Opportunity Insights data is not available for South Florida State College, but the graduation rate is 49%. With a significant portion of students receiving Pell Grants (43%), the school aims to support lower-income individuals. It suggests a commitment to helping students from diverse economic backgrounds pursue their education and improve their prospects.

Graduates earn an average of $39,990 within ten years of completing their studies. The college excels in programs like Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing, and Construction Trades. Ideal for students seeking practical training and a direct path to employment, South Florida State College caters to those looking for a strong return on investment in their education.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective South Florida State College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into South Florida State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

South Florida State College, located in Avon Park, Florida, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 49%.

Full-Time Faculty
31%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,274
Student–Faculty Ratio
17:1
Diversity Index
0.67
First-Gen Students
55%

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 South Florida State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at South Florida State College is $11,859, 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 $3,877. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,480 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,368 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$3,165
Out-of-State
$11,859
Avg Net Price
$3,877
Median Debt
$7,368
Pell Grant Rate
43%
Federal Loan Rate
5%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$3,480
Family Income $30K–$48K
$3,597
Family Income $48K–$75K
$4,758
Family Income $110K+
$3,698

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 South Florida State College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is South Florida State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of South Florida State College report median earnings of $39,990, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$32,974
8 Years
$35,056
10 Years
$39,990
Debt-to-Earnings
0.18x
Earning > $25K
46%

Earnings Trajectory

$32,974 6yr $35,056 8yr $39,990 10yr

How South Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation49%Earnings 10yr$40KNet Price$4KMedian Debt$7KPell Grant Rate43%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$3K$0-30K$4K$30-48K$5K$48-75K$4K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%24.7%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%6.1%MOBILITY1.51%

College ROI Calculator

Is South Florida State College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, South Florida State College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $3,877/year ($15,508 total). Graduates earn $39,990 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,016,955 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,001,447 (65.6× your investment). The median debt is $7,368, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 49% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$15,508
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,016,955
Net Return
$1,001,447
ROI Multiple
65.6×
Cost Per Year
$3,877
Median Debt
$7,368
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
49%

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 South Florida State College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

South Florida 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 1.51%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 24.7% 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 6.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $44,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.51%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
6.1%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
24.7%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$60,324
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is South Florida 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 South Florida State College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.77, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.77
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
4.0%
Support Ratio
0.99
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$468,023
Investment Income
$23,131

Top Programs

The fields South Florida 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into South Florida State College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

South Florida State College, located in Avon Park, Florida, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 49%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend South Florida State College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at South Florida State College is $11,859, 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 $3,877. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,480 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,368 in federal student loans.

Is South Florida State College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of South Florida State College report median earnings of $39,990, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does South Florida State College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

South Florida 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 1.51%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 24.7% 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 6.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $44,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is South Florida 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 South Florida State College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.77, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to South Florida State College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys