Polk State College

What Polk State College does

Polk State College is a public community college founded in 1964, headquartered in Winter Haven, Florida, and operating as part of the Florida College System under the Florida Department of Education. It serves Polk County through five physical campuses (Winter Haven, Lakeland, Bartow/Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center, Lake Wales/JD Alexander Center) plus specialized centers (Airside Center, Center for Public Safety). The institution delivers Associate, Bachelor of Applied Science, and certificate programs in workforce-aligned verticals including Aerospace Sciences (ranked No. 2 nationally for affordability by Best Value Schools), Criminal Justice with Crime Scene Investigations, Supply Chain Management, Healthcare, Nursing, Digital Media, and Business Information Technology, plus the Statewide XploreFLED initiative enabling out-of-state online enrollment at reduced tuition.

Its technology stack is built on industry-standard educational platforms: Ellucian Cloud Experience (Banner) for the student information system accessed via the Polk Portal, Canvas as the learning management system for online and hybrid courses, BankMobile for financial aid disbursement, and BNCollege for bookstore operations including a mobile app. Differentiated instructional assets — such as the 'murder boxes' shipped to online Criminal Justice students — are experiential kit-based, not technology-platform-driven. AI/ML capabilities are not disclosed in the input data.

The revenue model combines state appropriations from Florida (as a Florida College System institution), tuition and fees from in-state and out-of-state learners (standard out-of-state upper-division tuition at $469.70/credit hour; XploreFLED reduced rate at $290/credit hour), employer-sponsored scholarship and internship pipelines (LEGOLAND Florida, Winter Haven Hospital, JetBlue, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport), and auxiliary services including campus bookstores and athletics. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via traditional admissions, dual enrollment for high schoolers, veterans services (400+ individuals supported), and corporate partnerships through Corporate College that channel experiential learning into workforce placement (86% job placement rate, the highest in Florida for workforce programs).

Name

Polk State College

Legal name

Polk State College

Website

https://polk.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Bachelor degree programs
• Workforce development training
• Online higher education

Headquarters

HQ city

Winter Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition for in-state and out-of-state students across associate, bachelor, and certificate programs. Standard out-of-state upper-division tuition is $469.70 per credit hour, with reduced XploreFLED rate of $290 per credit hour for eligible out-of-state students in select programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Internship Programs: Partnerships with employers like LEGOLAND Florida Resort provide scholarship funding and internship opportunities, creating employer-sponsored educational pathways.
3. State Funding: Public college receives state funding from Florida as part of the Florida College System, with legislative session funding for new campus development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Polk State College is a public community college delivering affordable Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Science, and certificate programs across multiple Florida campuses and online. Core offerings include degree programs in Aerospace Sciences, Criminal Justice (with Crime Scene Investigations concentration), Business Information Technology, Supply Chain Management, Digital Media Technology, Nursing, and Early Childhood Education, supplemented by workforce development through Corporate College and employer-sponsored internship pipelines such as the Eagle Co-Op with LEGOLAND Florida Resort.

Product overview

Polk State College is a community college providing affordable, flexible in-person, hybrid, and online classes across multiple Florida campuses (Winter Haven, Lakeland, Bartow, and Lake Wales). The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational products including Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Bachelor degree programs. Key products include Business Information Technology (BAS) for business intelligence and programming, Criminal Justice with Crime Scene Investigations concentration featuring innovative 'murder box' online labs, Supply Chain Management programs, Aerospace Sciences (ranked No. 2 nationally for affordability), and Digital Media Technology with Studio 1308 production facility. The institution provides supporting platforms including Canvas LMS for online learning, Ellucian Cloud Experience (Polk Portal) for student services, and the XploreFLEd initiative expanding access to out-of-state students. Additional services include bookstores, veterans services, tutoring centers, and internship programs through partnerships with employers like LEGOLAND Florida Resort. The college serves diverse student populations through traditional degree paths, dual enrollment for high school students, and workforce development programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Polk State College Bookstores: Campus bookstores operated at Winter Haven and Lakeland campuses offering textbooks, supplies, and the My College Bookstore app
• Charlie (Eagle Mascot)
• Polkcast
• Studio 1308
• XploreFLED

Products and services

• Aerospace Sciences Program Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Sciences with concentrations in Aerospace Administration and Professional Pilot, plus Associate in Science degrees. Ranked No. 2 in the country for affordability by Best Value Schools and includes FAA-authorized flight hour reduction for pilot certification.
• Business Information Technology Concentration (BAS)

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of students graduate with zero student-loan debt
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Polk State College FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2018Provides scholarship support for students in financial need. Awarded scholarship to Carlos Buitrago to complete his Radiography Program studies.
• LEGOLAND Florida ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership since 2015 providing the Eagle Co-Op Internship Program with over 60 students participating. Partnership includes prepaid scholarship program for LEGOLAND employees, career pathways, and student presentations to executives. The partnership serves both academic and workforce development goals.
• Winter Haven HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical rotation site for Polk State Radiography Program. Students complete required clinical work at the hospital, with opportunities for immediate employment upon graduation. Graduate Carlos Buitrago hired as interventional radiographer upon program completion.
• Lakeland Linder Regional AirportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey industry partner providing internship and job opportunities for aerospace students. The airport recently transitioned from regional to international status with U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility.
• ExpressJetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAviation industry partner offering job opportunities for aerospace graduates. One of several major airline partnerships including JetBlue.
• JetBluecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor airline partner providing career opportunities for Polk State Aerospace graduates.
• Polk County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForensic Investigations Administrator Anndee Kendrick serves as adjunct instructor for the Criminal Justice Program. Advisory board member for program curriculum development.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Valencia College: Florida College System public community college in Orlando with associate and bachelor degree programs. Directly comparable as a sister Florida community college competing in the same state system for in-state and XploreFLED-style out-of-state online enrollment.
• Hillsborough Community College: Public Florida community college serving the Tampa Bay area with associate/bachelor programs and similar workforce focus. Adjacent geographic peer competing for the same regional student pool and Florida College System funding.
• St. Petersburg College: Florida College System institution offering AA, AS, BAS and BS programs with strong online presence. Comparable in mission, portfolio, and pursuit of out-of-state online enrollment via SPC's robust distance learning catalog.
• Eastern Florida State College: Florida College System public college serving Brevard County with associate, bachelor and workforce certificates. Comparable institution within the same state system with parallel XploreFLED-eligible program mix.
• Florida SouthWestern State College: Florida College System public college with similar baccalaureate expansion and online programs. Sister Florida community college competing for the same statewide student and XploreFLED out-of-state pool.
• Pasco-Hernando State College: Florida College System institution serving Pasco and Hernando counties with AA/AS/BAS offerings. Direct system peer of similar size and portfolio with overlapping workforce program structure.

Regional players

• College of Central Florida: Central Florida community college serving Marion, Citrus, and Levy counties. Comparable Florida College System peer with similar AA/AS/BAS mix and workforce focus, though in a different sub-region than Polk State.
• Indian River State College: Florida College System institution on the Treasure Coast offering associate and bachelor programs. Comparable in scale and program mix, though serving a different geographic catchment within Florida.
• Lake-Sumter State College: Central Florida community college in the Florida College System serving Lake and Sumter counties. Closely comparable in size and mission, sitting immediately adjacent to Polk State's service area.

Broad incumbents

• Broward College: Large Florida College System institution with extensive online, associate, and bachelor offerings. Comparable in online-program ambition and workforce focus, but materially larger scale and broader geographic reach than Polk State.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights2 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PolkState
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WeArePolk
• Facebookfacebook.com/PolkState

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Polk State College