Santa Fe vs Polk State

Santa Fe College and Polk State College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Florida, offer unique educational experiences tailored to diverse student aspirations. Santa Fe College, nestled in the vibrant city of Gainesville, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students into its academic fold. Polk State College, situated in the heart of Lakeland, stands out with its focus on career-oriented programs, preparing students for immediate entry into the workforce. While Santa Fe College excels in liberal arts and sciences, Polk State College shines in healthcare and public safety fields. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further distinctions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and popular majors, and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	Polk State College	Santa Fe College
Overview
Location	Winter Haven, Florida	Gainesville, Florida
Campus setting	City: Small	Suburb: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	67.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	Open Admission
Application fees
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	Not required	Not required
High school GPA	N/A	N/A
Recommendation letters	N/A	N/A
High school transcript	N/A	N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	N/A

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $17,401 Out of state: $26,307	In state: $17,305 Out of state: $23,931
Average net price	$8,227	$11,341
Tuition	In state: $2,483 Out of state: $9,933	In state: $1,872 Out of state: $7,418
Room & board
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	54.0% Average amount $5,400	64.0% Average amount $2,713
Students receiving federal student loan	7.0% Average amount $4,728	15.0% Average amount $2,098
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	1.0% Average amount $5,044

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	9,044 Men 34.4% Women 65.6%	12,830 Men 45.1% Women 54.9%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	0.3%	2.2%
International students	1.4%	2.0%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	N/A	N/A
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Florida California Georgia Iowa Mississippi	Florida Illinois New York Georgia Alabama

Academics
Popular study areas	Liberal Arts Health Professions Business Law Enforcement and Firefighting Education	Liberal Arts Health Professions Computer and Information Science Business Law Enforcement and Firefighting
Students to faculty ratio	20:1	20:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	33.2%	56.0%
Dropout rate	51.4%	29.1%
Transferred out	11.2%	13.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,310 Year 2: $70,456 Year 3: $68,291 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $57,694 Year 2: $53,001 Year 3: $52,096 Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $39,742 Year 2: $48,198 Year 3: $49,605 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,427 Year 2: $35,274 Year 3: $40,565 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $47,233 Year 2: $41,007 Year 3: $40,265 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,616 Year 2: $34,660 Year 3: $39,777 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $23,837 Year 2: $24,035 Year 3: $29,385 Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $21,337 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $17,510	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $60,084 Year 2: $57,544 Year 3: $52,360 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $52,334 Year 2: $54,109 Year 3: $48,276 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,954 Year 2: $31,581 Year 3: $41,113 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $21,867 Year 2: $24,035 Year 3: $32,674 Animal Sciences (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $23,091 Year 2: $25,967 Year 3: $26,019 Computer Software and Media Applications (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $21,466 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,968 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $37,869 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $47,654 Year 2: $53,358 Year 3: N/A Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,622 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: N/A

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