Palm Beach State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Palm Beach State College charges a net price of $9,182/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $18,364. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,923, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Palm Beach State College does not clear its cost — it ranks #54 of 166 Florida colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,182/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $18,364 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,923 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,437/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,081 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$147,104 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Palm Beach State College's own numbers. Net price $9,182 × 2 years = $18,364 total. Median earnings $41,923 fall $6,437 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $18,364 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Palm Beach State College students graduate with?
A median $7,081 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $41,923 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Palm Beach State College students graduate?
41% finish their degree — 59% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,364 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $44,790 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Palm Beach State College expensive compared with other Florida colleges?
Its $9,182 net price runs $10,630 below the $19,812 median across the 166 Florida colleges we profile, and $21,260 less across the full degree.