SCF vs. PSC

Deciding between State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota and Polk State College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SCF Bradenton, FL
  • PSC Winter Haven, FL
  • Setting
  • SCF Large Suburban
  • PSC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • SCF 8,750
  • PSC 10,318
  • Type
  • SCF Public 4 Year
  • PSC Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SCF
  • PSC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SCF -
  • PSC -
  • Status
  • SCF Non-profit
  • PSC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SCF
  • PSC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SCF $3,074
  • PSC $2,694
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SCF $11,595
  • PSC $9,817
  • Room & Board
  • SCF $26,718
  • PSC $12,186
  • Average Net Price
  • SCF $22,034
  • PSC $10,011
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SCF $6,668
  • PSC $3,305
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SCF 61%
  • PSC 72%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SCF -
  • PSC -
  • Admitted
  • SCF -
  • PSC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SCF Open
  • PSC Open
  • Enrolled
  • SCF Open
  • PSC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • SCF
  • PSC
  • Typical ACT score
  • SCF
  • PSC
  • Average High School GPA
  • SCF 3.1
  • PSC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SCF B
  • PSC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • SCF Unavailable
  • PSC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • SCF
  • PSC
  • ACT Range
  • SCF
  • PSC
  • SAT Range
  • SCF
  • PSC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SCF Open admission
  • PSC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • SCF
  • PSC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SCF 23:1
  • PSC 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SCF
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (76%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Education (2%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (2%)
    • Legal Professions (2%)
  • PSC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (52%)
    • Health Professions (20%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
    • Education (9%)
    • Work and Family Studies (3%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SCF -
  • PSC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SCF $33,700
  • PSC $34,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SCF 35%
  • PSC 40%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SCF $8,610
  • PSC $9,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SCF $89
  • PSC $98

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SCF 36%
  • PSC 36%
  • % Women
  • SCF 64%
  • PSC 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SCF Medium
  • PSC High
  • HBCU
  • SCF No
  • PSC No
  • % White
  • SCF 66%
  • PSC 53%
  • % Asian
  • SCF 2%
  • PSC 2%
  • % Black
  • SCF 9%
  • PSC 17%
  • % Hispanic
  • SCF 15%
  • PSC 20%
  • % Native American
  • SCF 0%
  • PSC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SCF 0%
  • PSC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SCF 2%
  • PSC 2%
  • % International
  • SCF 2%
  • PSC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SCF 3%
  • PSC 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SCF 100%
  • PSC 85%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SCF 0%
  • PSC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • SCF No
  • PSC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • SCF No
  • PSC No
  • Meal Plan
  • SCF No
  • PSC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • SCF No
  • PSC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • SCF No
  • PSC No

Comparable Facts

Compare State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota in Bradenton, FL with Polk State College in Winter Haven, FL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Polk State College is larger than SCF based on total student enrollment (10,318 students vs. 8,750 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is located in Bradenton, FL (Large Suburban setting); Polk State College is in Winter Haven, FL (Small City setting).
  • State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Polk State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota 23:1; Polk State College 19:1.

SCF vs. PSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCF or PSC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Polk State College than SCF ($10,011 vs. $22,034).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Polk State College are 54.4% lower than at State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota ($12,186 vs. $26,718).
  • State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota is 14.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than PSC (about $380 more per year; $3,074.00 vs. $2,694.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 18.1% higher at SCF than at Polk State College (about $1,778 more per year; $11,595.00 vs. $9,817.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Polk State College than at State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota (72% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota students is 101.8% larger than aid received by Polk State College students ($6,668 vs. $3,305).

SCF vs. PSC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SCF or PSC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between PSC and SCF.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SCF - Open admission; PSC - Open admission.

SCF vs. PSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SCF and PSC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Polk State College earn a median of about $300 more per year than SCF graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,000 vs. $33,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, State College of Florida Manatee Sarasota graduates have a $890 lower median loan debt than PSC graduates ($8,610 vs. $9,500).
  • Among borrowers, SCF graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than PSC graduates ($89 vs. $98).
  • More PSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCF students, three years after graduation. (40% vs. 35%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.