Head-to-head comparison
Polk State College vs Albizu University-Miami: which has better ROI?
Option A Winter Haven, FL
Polk State College
- Net price / year
- $9,427
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,624
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Miami, FL
Albizu University-Miami
- Net price / year
- $19,849
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,544
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Polk State College comes closer — median earnings $40,624 against a $18,854 total, vs $41,544 at Albizu University-Miami. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Polk State College | Albizu University-Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,427 | $19,849 |
| Total net cost | $18,854 | $79,396 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,624 | $41,544 |
| Median debt | $10,076 | $5,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$173,574 | -$215,716 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Polk State College or Albizu University-Miami?
Polk State College, at $9,427 a year after aid versus $19,849 — a gap of $10,422 a year, or $60,542 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Polk State College or Albizu University-Miami graduates earn more?
Albizu University-Miami graduates report a median $41,544 ten years after entry, $920 more than the $40,624 at Polk State College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Polk State College or Albizu University-Miami?
Albizu University-Miami: its completers carry a median $5,500 in federal loans versus $10,076 at Polk State College, a difference of $4,576. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
40% of students finish at Albizu University-Miami, against 35% at Polk State College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.