St Petersburg College — ROI, Cost & Payback
St Petersburg College charges a net price of $1,471/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $2,942. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,557, 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, St Petersburg College does not clear its cost — it ranks #47 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) | $1,471/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $2,942 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,557 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,803/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $16,868 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$119,002 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on St Petersburg College's own numbers. Net price $1,471 × 2 years = $2,942 total. Median earnings $42,557 fall $5,803 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 $2,942 bill in about 0.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do St Petersburg College students graduate with?
A median $16,868 in federal loans among completers, or 40% of the $42,557 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of St Petersburg College students graduate?
38% finish their degree — 62% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $2,942 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $7,742 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is St Petersburg College expensive compared with other Florida colleges?
Its $1,471 net price runs $18,341 below the $19,812 median across the 166 Florida colleges we profile, and $36,682 less across the full degree.