St Petersburg College
#1 Most Affordable Colleges in Florida- Graduation Rate
- 38% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $42,557 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $1,471 A+
- 91% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 18,950
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 173.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $173.9 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Most Affordable Colleges in Florida.
Every $1 spent returns $173.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,017,287.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 38% — 34% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $173.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About St Petersburg College
St Petersburg 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
- 18,950
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT, Business & Marketing
Why students choose St Petersburg 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 $1,471 a year after grants and scholarships — 91% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $42,557 ten years after enrolling — 4% above the typical college, against $16,868 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.7% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 40% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.86 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
St. Petersburg College serves nearly 19,950 students, making it a significant player in Florida's higher education landscape. With a net price of just $1,471, it stands out as an affordable option for students seeking a college education without excessive financial burden.
According to Chetty/Opportunity Insights data, specific metrics on mobility and economic connectedness are not publicly available for St. Petersburg College. However, the graduation rate sits at 38%, suggesting that while many students may start their journey here, a substantial number do not complete their degrees, which could impact long-term outcomes and mobility.
Students thrive in programs like Humanities, Health Professions, and Computer Science & IT, with graduates earning a median income of $42,557 ten years after enrollment. The median debt of $16,868 is manageable for many, especially considering the significant percentage of students receiving Pell Grants (33%). This college is ideal for those looking for cost-effective education in a supportive environment, particularly in fields with strong job prospects.
Rankings
- #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Florida
- #6 Best Online Education Programs in Florida
- #7 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Florida
- #8 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Florida
- #8 Best Online Nursing Programs in Florida
- #11 Most Affordable Master's Programs
- #11 Cheapest Online Master's Programs
- #11 Most Affordable Online Master's Programs
Can I Get In?
How selective St Petersburg 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 St Petersburg College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, St Petersburg College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 38%.
- Full-Time Faculty
- 25%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,038
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 22:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.66
- First-Gen Students
- 44%
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 St Petersburg College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at St Petersburg College is $9,286, 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 $1,471. For the lowest-income families, those earning under $30,000, need-based grants can fully cover tuition, leaving little or nothing to pay out of pocket. The median graduate leaves with about $16,868 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $2,682
- Out-of-State
- $9,286
- Avg Net Price
- $1,471
- Median Debt
- $16,868
- Pell Grant Rate
- 33%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 16%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $-716
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $677
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $4,005
- Family Income $110K+
- $11,943
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 St Petersburg 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 St Petersburg College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of St Petersburg College report median earnings of $42,557, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,498
- 8 Years
- $39,154
- 10 Years
- $42,557
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.4x
- Earning > $25K
- 56%
Earnings Trajectory
How St 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 St Petersburg College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, St Petersburg College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $1,471/year ($5,884 total). Graduates earn $42,557 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,023,171 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,017,287 (173.9× your investment). The median debt is $16,868, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 38% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $5,884
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,023,171
- Net Return
- $1,017,287
- ROI Multiple
- 173.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $1,471
- Median Debt
- $16,868
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 38%
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 St Petersburg College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
St Petersburg 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 1.69%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 15.2% 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 11.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $60,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.69%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 11.1%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 15.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $82,742
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $223,415
- Investment Income
- $-990,271
Top Programs
The fields St Petersburg 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 43%
- Health Professions 18% $77,841 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 12% $51,244 early-career
- Business & Marketing 9% $51,919 early-career
- Criminal Justice 6% $50,714 early-career
- Education 2% $49,387 early-career
- Legal Studies 1% $42,932 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 1%
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 St Petersburg 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
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into St Petersburg College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, St Petersburg College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 38%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend St Petersburg College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at St Petersburg College is $9,286, 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 $1,471. For the lowest-income families, those earning under $30,000, need-based grants can fully cover tuition, leaving little or nothing to pay out of pocket. The median graduate leaves with about $16,868 in federal student loans.
Is St Petersburg College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of St Petersburg College report median earnings of $42,557, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does St Petersburg College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
St Petersburg 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 1.69%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 15.2% 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 11.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $60,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is St Petersburg College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at St Petersburg College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.86, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.07). Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does St Petersburg College offer Early Decision?
No. St Petersburg College does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to St Petersburg College.
- Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville, FL · Close peer35% grad $42,244 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, CA · Close peer28% grad $42,368 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- Hillsborough CollegeTampa, FL · Close peer34% grad $40,782 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, CA · Close peer31% grad $43,552 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, CA · Close peer36% grad $42,193 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Palm Beach State CollegeLake Worth, FL · Close peer41% grad $41,923 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is St Petersburg College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at St Petersburg College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.86, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.07). Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note