Eckerd College is a private nonprofit institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Saint Petersburg, Florida. It enrolls 1,888 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic Calendar4-1-4 Plan
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
53/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes58
Value4
Affordability13
Selectivity61
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 75.8%, Eckerd College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
75.8%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1160 – 1330
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
24 – 29
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Eckerd College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
11.2 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Eckerd College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $38,071 per year. That's above the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$38,071
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
21%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
44%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$51,884
Room & Board (on-campus)
$14,734
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,734
Books & Supplies
$1,350
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,100
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,100
Total Cost of Attendance
$68,944
Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$29,615
$30,001 – $48,000
$34,524
$48,001 – $75,000
$34,294
$75,001 – $110,000
$35,840
Over $110,000
$43,955
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,69210%percentile
$7,96525%percentile
$27,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$32,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $23,250
↓ $3,750
No Pell $19,000
↓ $8,000
Dependent students $19,500
↓ $7,500
Independent students $15,390
↓ $11,610
Female students $19,000
↓ $8,000
Male students $22,250
↓ $4,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,296, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
57% of full-time students who enrolled at Eckerd College graduate within six years, and 77% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
57%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
77%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Eckerd College earn a median of $51,819 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$51,819
Earning > $25K
78%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$44,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$51,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$36,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$45,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$52,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,900, about 13% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
8.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 64% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Eckerd College is home to 1,888 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,888
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
20%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 75.1%1,418
Hispanic 10.1%190
Other 5.7%108
International 3.9%73
Black 3.0%56
Asian 1.9%35
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Eckerd College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CitySaint Petersburg, Florida
Housing
Strongly residential1,843 beds for 1,888 students
Adult Learners
1%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
4-1-4 Planscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Eckerd College offers
a varied set of programs:
35 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Eckerd College is 11:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$180M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$80,108
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
172 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
42
24%
$103,586
Associate Professors
35
20%
$82,630
Assistant Professors
79
46%
$70,759
Instructors
16
9%
$59,123
Pros & Cons of Eckerd College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Eckerd College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
High net price compared to most US colleges
Modest first-year retention
High published cost of attendance before aid
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Eckerd College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Eckerd College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Eckerd College.
Is Eckerd College hard to get into?
Eckerd College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 75.8%.
What is the acceptance rate at Eckerd College?
Eckerd College has an acceptance rate of 75.8%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Eckerd College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Eckerd College scored between 1160 and 1330 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Eckerd College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Eckerd College scored between 24 and 29 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Eckerd College cost?
The average net price after aid at Eckerd College is $38,071 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Eckerd College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $51,819 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $38,071 per year. That's roughly 1.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Eckerd College known for?
Eckerd College is best known for its programs in Ecology, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Zoology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Eckerd College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Eckerd College are $51,819, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Eckerd College accredited?
Yes. Eckerd College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Eckerd College?
Eckerd College enrolls 1,888 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Eckerd College?
Eckerd College graduates 57% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Eckerd College a public or private college?
Eckerd College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Eckerd College located?
Eckerd College is located in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
What programs does Eckerd College offer?
Eckerd College offers 35 distinct programs. The most popular include Ecology, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Zoology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Eckerd College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Eckerd College is 11:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Rankings That Feature Eckerd College
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