Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Key West, Florida
The College of the Florida Keys — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
$19,965Annual Cost
$42,508Grad Salary
30%Pell Grant
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Avg Net Price
$13,818
Need-Based Aid
30% receive Pell
The College of the Florida Keys, founded in 1965 as Florida Keys Community College, offers unique marine-focused programs from its waterfront campuses. The 20-acre Key West campus features a marine engineering lab, dive training pool, and research vessel R/V Bellows. CFK specializes in Marine Science, Diving Business, and Hospitality programs serving about 1,000 students across the island chain.
CFK is unranked among national colleges but holds distinction as America's only college with coral reef research facilities. The college boasts a 100% job placement rate for dive program graduates and partnerships with NOAA and Mote Marine Laboratory. The Keys location provides unparalleled access to marine ecosystems for hands-on learning.
The College of the Florida Keys Acceptance Rate
The College of the Florida Keys (Key West Community College) runs an open-access admission policy — with a 100% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
The College of the Florida Keys Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The College of the Florida Keys follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Key West Community College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Check Your Admission Chances at Key West Community College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on The College of the Florida Keys's verified institutional data
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
The College of the Florida Keys (Key West Community College) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Key West Community College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Key West Community College Without SAT or ACT?
Key West Community College's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Key West Community College
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Getting into Key West Community College is the easy part — what matters next is using placement testing, advising, and available resources to set up a strong first year.
For the Associate of Science in Nursing, treat the interview as the real differentiator - the point system alone doesn't guarantee a seat
CFK's nursing admissions use a point system (2.7 GPA minimum, plus a written essay), but meeting the minimums only earns an invitation to interview with the nursing board - it does not guarantee admission. Coach applicants to prepare specifically for that interview (not just the essay) as the actual final gate, and to apply early since it's explicitly a limited-access program with capped seats, unlike CFK's general open admission.
Route marine-focused students toward the Marine Engineering, Management & Seamanship AAS specifically for USCG licensing value, not general marine biology
CFK's location inside the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary supports a genuinely distinctive AAS in Marine Engineering, Management and Seamanship plus a Marine Propulsion vocational certificate, both tied to U.S. Coast Guard licensing pathways - a credential-driven track most mainland community colleges can't replicate. For a student interested in maritime careers (not pure marine biology/environmental science), counsel them to specifically ask admissions about the USCG licensing coursework sequence, since it's a separate curriculum track from the more commonly advertised marine science degrees.
If pursuing nursing but not ready for the ASN application cycle, use the AA General Studies "back door" deliberately
CFK explicitly allows students who miss the ASN application deadline (or aren't yet competitive) to start in the AA General Studies program and apply to nursing later - this is a stated, sanctioned strategy, not a consolation path. Counsel borderline applicants to use this bridge intentionally: enroll in AA General Studies, complete required science prerequisites and raise GPA above 2.7, then apply to the nursing cohort in a subsequent cycle rather than risking a weak first nursing application.
For RN-BSN completion, exploit the 2+2 model's flexible 8-week terms to finish in as little as one year
CFK's RN-BSN follows a 2+2 structure (Associate + RN license, then 60 credits split into 27 gen-ed and 33 nursing credits) delivered in accelerated 8-week terms with five start dates per year and fully online delivery. Counsel already-licensed RNs to front-load remaining general education requirements aggressively in the first terms, since students who've already cleared gen-ed can complete the BSN in as little as one calendar year - a meaningfully faster and cheaper path (~$10,000 estimated) than most BSN completion programs.
Expert Insight:
The most common costly mistake here is a family assuming CFK's 100% general open-admission rate extends to nursing - students who apply late or underprepared to the ASN cycle, without understanding it's a separate limited-access, interview-based, point-system program, often lose an entire admission cycle waiting for the next opportunity.
Key West Community College Profile
Full Name
The College of the Florida Keys (Key West Community College)
City
Key West
State
Florida
ZIP Code
33040
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Key West Community College Degree Worth It?
At $19,965/year against a $42,508 median graduate salary, Key West Community College is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation — the numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $58,300, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.22%.
How much does a degree from Key West Community College Cost?
The sticker price is $19,965/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $13,818.
30% of students receive a Pell Grant and 21.6% take federal loans at Key West Community College — file your FAFSA early and list Key West Community College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Key West Community College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $42,508 — about 5% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Degree Programs at Key West Community College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Associate Degree Programs
UG Certificate or Diploma Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Key West Community College Admissions
Median earnings for The College of the Florida Keys graduates sit around $42,508 a year.
At about $19,965 a year, The College of the Florida Keys is on the more affordable end.
About 30.0% receive a Pell Grant at The College of the Florida Keys — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
The College of the Florida Keys follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The application fee is 30. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.