College tuition fees rose 4.1% in Pinellas County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $11,653 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $458 more than the previous school year.
Among the 12 institutions in the county, Eckerd College stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $48,900. National Aviation Academy of Tampa Bay followed with an average of $38,600 per year. St Petersburg College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $2,815.
At the time, a total of $81 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Pinellas County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $32.1 million.
Currently there are 12 higher education institutions in Pinellas County, including American Institute of Beauty, Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater, and Loraines Academy & Spa.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eckerd College | 539 | $14,422,032 | $26,757 | 289 | $3,170,442 | $10,970 |
| Center for Neurosomatic Studies | 5 | $28,688 | $5,738 | 5 | $27,407 | $5,481 |
| St Petersburg College | 1,045 | $10,659,767 | $10,201 | 240 | $1,328,450 | $5,535 |
| Schiller International University | 5 | $17,955 | $3,591 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater | 149 | $647,607 | $4,346 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Pinellas Technical College-St. Petersburg | 186 | $732,350 | $3,937 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Cortiva Institute | 35 | $130,129 | $3,718 | 33 | $176,252 | $5,341 |
| Ultimate Medical Academy | 8,188 | $51,592,692 | $6,301 | 7,761 | $22,422,030 | $2,889 |
| Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay | 101 | $713,914 | $7,068 | 109 | $1,168,647 | $10,722 |
| American Institute of Beauty | 87 | $568,085 | $6,530 | 90 | $611,166 | $6,791 |
| National Aviation Academy of Tampa Bay | 203 | $1,356,802 | $6,684 | 247 | $3,079,432 | $12,467 |
| Loraines Academy & Spa | 32 | $116,309 | $3,635 | 31 | $138,399 | $4,464 |
