Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
St. Petersburg, Florida
St Petersburg College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
3Avg GPA
$10,634Annual Cost
$42,557Grad Salary
33.1%Pell Grant
Avg GPA
3
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
Need-Based Aid
33.1% receive Pell
St Petersburg College was Florida's first two-year college, established in 1927. It now offers bachelor's degrees in selected fields.
The college is renowned for its veterinary technology and dental hygiene programs. SPC's 'My Learning Plan' helps students map their educational journey.
St Petersburg College Acceptance Rate
St Petersburg College (SPC) maintains an inclusive admission policy. With an acceptance rate of 100%, the institution prioritizes accessibility and opportunity for all qualified students.
Admissions Guidelines
- Inclusive Enrollment: Emphasis is placed on meeting basic eligibility and high school completion.
- Launchpad Policy: Ideal for students looking to build a GPA for future transfer or career certification.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
If your GPA is slightly below the institutional average, you can remain competitive by scoring well on standardized tests and showcasing leadership in co-curricular activities.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.00 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.80 – 2.99
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.55
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
SPC GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at SPC is 3. This suggests moderate selectivity.
A mix of A's, B's, and some C's is common. Higher SAT/ACT scores can compensate for a lower GPA.
Note: This is an unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale. Students with AP or IB courses will typically have a weighted GPA of 3.20-3.40 for this same academic profile.If your GPA is between 2.70 and 3, aim for a strong standardized test score.
SPC GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Admissions at SPC utilize a Holistic Review process. With an average admitted GPA of 3, the following table illustrates how your specific academic profile aligns with institutional expectations.
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.00 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.80 – 2.99
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.60 – 2.79
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.59
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Expert Insight: 2026 Evaluation Metrics
- St. Petersburg College was founded in 1927 as Florida's first two-year college and in 2001 became the first community college in Florida authorized to award bachelor's degrees (first degrees awarded 2002). Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Nursing programs (ASN and BSN) accredited by ACEN. Open admissions for associate programs; bachelor's programs have separate admissions requirements by program.
- SPC offers 22 bachelor's degrees including Nursing (RN-to-BSN, online), Elementary Education, Exceptional Student Education (Special Ed), Dental Hygiene, Veterinary Technology, Cardiopulmonary Science, Digital Media, Business Administration, Health Services Administration, and others. Tuition is approximately half of Florida State University System rates per credit hour. No on-campus housing at any SPC campus (6 campuses + 3 centers across Pinellas County).
- Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE): mandatory for all AA and bachelor's degree students under catalog year 2021-22 or later; must pass FCLE AND complete a qualifying civic literacy course (POS 2041 or AMH 2020) before graduating; 80 multiple-choice questions, untimed; by appointment only at SPC testing centers; exemptions for students with qualifying AP scores (AP U.S. Government 3+, AP U.S. History 4+), qualifying CLEP scores, or documented FCLE pass from a Florida public high school submitted via FASTER.
- AA transfer: Florida articulation guarantee requires SUS institutions to accept AA graduates as juniors with general education complete; FloridaShines.org lists institution-specific transfer guides and course equivalencies for planning major preparation coursework. SPC alumni rank 1st in Florida among two-year college graduates for possessing the most valuable job skills, per SPC's own reported alumni data.
- The Rigor Metric: At SPC, a slightly lower GPA (e.g., 3.8) in a transcript featuring multiple AP or IB courses is often prioritized over a 4.0 in a standard curriculum.
- The Upward Trend: If your early high school grades were lower, an upward trajectory in 11th and 12th grade demonstrates Academic Resilience.
Data Source: Verified via IPEDS and latest Common Data Set (CDS). Reviewed by our academic board led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at SPC
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on St Petersburg College's verified institutional data
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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.
St Petersburg College (SPC) Test Requirements
In this competitive environment, standardized scores are no longer elective; they serve as a critical standardized benchmark to validate high school GPA and course rigor. Applicants should aim for scores within or above the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class to remain viable in the Holistic Review process. At institutions that remain test-optional, submitting a high-percentile score is still the primary strategy for securing merit-based scholarships and distinguishing one's profile in a high-volume applicant pool.
Can I Get Into SPC Without SAT or ACT?
The admission test score (SAT/ACT) policy for St Petersburg College is unknown. But it is better to submit the test score if you have performed well in the test. It gives an extra opportunity to showcase your skills and competencies and hence will improve your chances of admission. Normally, students may appear in the test 4 to 5 times to improve their scores. But if your score is not up to the mark and is less than the national or state average, then it is better not to submit the score as it will impact negatively.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for SPC
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
SPC provides an open gateway to higher education. Success here is about utilizing resources and planning your long-term academic or career trajectory.
SPC Was the First Community College in Florida to Award Bachelor's Degrees - Its 22 Bachelor's Programs Are Full Degrees, Not Bridge Programs
In 2001, the Florida Legislature passed legislation specifically authorizing St. Petersburg College (then St. Petersburg Junior College) to become the first two-year college in Florida to offer bachelor's degrees; the college dropped "Junior" from its name and began awarding baccalaureates in 2002. This is not a historical footnote - it shapes what SPC is today. SPC now offers 22 bachelor's degrees, including fully accredited programs in Nursing (RN-to-BSN, online), Elementary Education, Exceptional Student Education, Dental Hygiene, Veterinary Technology, Digital Media, Business Administration, Cardiopulmonary Science, and Health Services Administration. These are not articulation agreements or bridge programs at a different university; they are degrees awarded by SPC itself, at SPC's per-credit-hour rate (approximately half the cost of Florida State University System tuition). For students entering a health science or education career who already hold or are completing an Associate in Science degree, SPC's bachelor's track is a structurally and financially distinct option from transferring to USF or UCF.
The Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) Is a Mandatory Graduation Requirement for All AA and Bachelor's Degree Students - Complete It in the First Semester, Not the Last
Under Florida Rule 6A-10.04213, any SPC student pursuing an AA or baccalaureate degree who enrolled in catalog year 2021-22 (catalog 595) or later must both complete a qualifying civic literacy course (POS 2041 American Government or AMH 2020 Modern American History) AND pass the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE) before graduating. The FCLE is an 80-question multiple-choice exam covering American democracy, the U.S. Constitution, founding documents, and landmark Supreme Court cases - untimed, but typically completed in about one hour. Students who passed the FCLE while in a Florida public high school (class of 2022 or later) may be exempt if SPC receives their official transcript through FASTER. The exam must be taken at an SPC campus testing center by appointment; students living outside Pinellas, Pasco, or Hillsborough counties may request online proctoring, but availability is limited and approval is not guaranteed based on personal preference or scheduling convenience. Waiting until the final semester to discover this requirement is unmet is a real, documented failure pattern at SPC and across Florida colleges.
Nursing at SPC Has Two Distinct, Separate Tracks - Prospective Students Must Identify the Right One Before Applying to Any Program
SPC's nursing offerings are structurally separate programs that serve different populations and do not feed into each other automatically. Track one: the Associate in Science in Nursing (ASN), a competitive limited-access program that prepares non-nurse students for the NCLEX-RN and leads to initial RN licensure, offered at the Caruth Health Education Center and Clearwater campus. The ASN has separate competitive admissions with prerequisite GPA requirements, and offers an LPN-to-RN Bridge Track for licensed practical nurses. Track two: the RN-to-BSN program, a fully online one-year degree-completion program designed exclusively for students who already hold an active, unencumbered RN license and a regionally accredited associate nursing degree. These two programs require different qualifications, serve different populations, and run on different academic calendars - the ASN begins in August and January; the RN-to-BSN is fully online with flexible enrollment. Students who arrive at SPC without this distinction clearly understood are frequently misdirected during advising.
SPC's Transfer AA Track Feeds Directly Into Florida State University System Programs - Use FloridaShines to Map Course Equivalencies Before Registering
SPC's Associate in Arts degree is designed to transfer seamlessly to any State University System (SUS) institution in Florida under the statewide articulation guarantee: students who earn an AA from a Florida College System institution and are admitted to a Florida public university must be accepted as juniors with their lower-division general education requirements satisfied. However, "general education satisfied" is not the same as "major preparation complete" - upper-division programs at USF, UCF, and Florida State have their own prerequisite requirements that go beyond the AA. SPC's Transfer Center counselors can pull institution-specific transfer guides from FloridaShines.org to map course equivalencies for specific target programs before a student registers for a single class. The strategic move is to identify the target SUS institution and major in the first semester and work backward to ensure every course selected at SPC carries forward efficiently - not to complete the AA and then ask which classes count at the destination.
Expert Insight:
The most consequential failure pattern specific to SPC involves the Florida Civic Literacy Exam. Students who enroll in an AA or bachelor's program, complete all coursework, and then discover in their final semester that they have not yet taken or passed the FCLE face a hard graduation hold: the exam cannot be waived based on completion of the course alone, and it cannot be retroactively satisfied by the course credit. Because SPC's FCLE testing centers work by appointment, and because appointment availability near graduation peaks is limited and online testing for local students is not guaranteed, students who wait until the last moment can find themselves delayed an entire term over a single 80-question civics exam. The second failure: students in SPC's limited-access nursing and health sciences programs who do not read the admissions guide carefully and apply to the wrong program - applying to the RN-to-BSN without an active RN license, or to the generic health sciences pathway when they needed to apply separately to the ASN competitive process.
SPC Profile
Full Name
St Petersburg College (SPC)
City
St. Petersburg
State
Florida
ZIP Code
33701
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a SPC Degree Worth It?
Getting into SPC can be a great opportunity for many students. It is a prestigious institution known for its strong programs. However, whether it is worth it depends on your personal and academic goals, as well as your financial situation. SPC offers a rigorous academic environment and access to cutting-edge research, but it may not be the best fit for everyone. It's important to consider factors such as cost, location, and specific academic programs when making this decision.
Please note that the average household income of the admitted students at SPC is $50,800 and the graduate unemployment rate is 2.78%.
How much does a degree from SPC Cost?
The average annual cost of the degree at St Petersburg College is $10,634. As most of the students receive Pell Grants and Federal Grants the average annual net price a student has to pay at St Petersburg College is much less than this.
33.1% of the students are receiving Pell Grant and 17.4 percent are receiving Federal Grants. So it is a better choice to go to SPC and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.
At St Petersburg College, you will have no problem receiving any scholarship from the federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist SPC as your choice in the form.
How much does a SPC Graduate earn?
The average annual salary of the graduate after 4–6 years of graduation is $42,557. An average SPC graduate makes this much after 10 years of enrollment (4–6 years after graduation).
The average annual income of a graduate in the United States is $40,595.
Degree Programs at SPC
Bachelor Degree Programs
Post-baccalaureate Certificate Programs
Associate Degree Programs
Full list of all degree programs offered by St Petersburg College →
Frequently Asked Questions About SPC Admissions
Graduates of this university typically earn a lower salary, $42,557 annually, especially in non-technical fields.
The tuition fee at this university is relatively low, around $10,634 per year, making it more affordable for many students.
33.1% of students receive a Pell Grant at this institution. Your chances of need-based aid are moderate and depend primarily on your household income. Filing FAFSA early significantly improves your chances of receiving the maximum available grant amount.
The average GPA of admitted students is 3. This reflects the competitive academic profile expected from applicants.
While there is no single cutoff that guarantees a rejection, admission staff uses your GPA to determine if you are a best fit. If you have at least a 2.7, you are in the standard pool. If you are below a 2.7, we need to focus on your personal essay and letters of recommendation to explain the context behind your grades.
If your GPA is 2.6 or less, it may make admission difficult. However, your chances may improve if you have strong test scores, extracurricular activities, and essays. But this does not mean that you must not apply, or you do not have any chances. With additional AP courses, you can increase your chances even with this GPA.
While the average GPA of admitted students is 3, applicants with lower GPAs can still be considered if they have strong test scores, extracurriculars, and compelling personal essays that demonstrate resilience and potential.
Yes, many students successfully transfer each year. Be prepared with your academic transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement to make your application competitive.
To improve your chances, focus on excelling academically, building a strong extracurricular profile, and submitting standout essays. High SAT/ACT scores are also crucial for competitive admissions.