Degree Dividend
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Palm Beach State College vs Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations: which has better ROI?

Public, Lake Worth FL · vs · Private nonprofit, West Palm Beach FL

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations comes closer — median earnings $47,039 against a $60,762 total, vs $41,923 at Palm Beach State College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasurePalm Beach State CollegeAcademy for Nursing and Health Occupations
Net price / yr$9,182$30,381
Total net cost$18,364$60,762
Median earnings, 10 yrs$41,923$47,039
Median debt$7,081$20,293
Payback
20-year net return-$147,104-$87,182

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Palm Beach State College or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations?

Palm Beach State College, at $9,182 a year after aid versus $30,381 — a gap of $21,199 a year, or $42,398 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Palm Beach State College or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations graduates earn more?

Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations graduates report a median $47,039 ten years after entry, $5,116 more than the $41,923 at Palm Beach State College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.

Which leaves students with less debt, Palm Beach State College or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations?

Palm Beach State College: its completers carry a median $7,081 in federal loans versus $20,293 at Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations, a difference of $13,212. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

42% of students finish at Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations, against 41% at Palm Beach State College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.

Palm Beach State College vs Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations: frequently asked questions

Is Palm Beach State College or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations a better value?
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, Palm Beach State College or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations?
Palm Beach State College: $9,182/yr net price after aid versus $30,381/yr at Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations — a difference of $21,199 a year, or about $42,398 over four years.
Do Palm Beach State College or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations graduates earn more?
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations graduates earn a median $47,039 ten years after entry, versus $41,923 at Palm Beach State College — a $5,116 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.