Private Nonprofit · West Palm Beach, Florida

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Palm Beach Atlantic University is a private nonprofit institution in West Palm Beach, Florida. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.

$49,232
10-yr median earnings
82.0%
Acceptance rate
$28,354
Avg net price / yr
57.2%
150%-time completion

The verdict

Palm Beach Atlantic University pairs above-median former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 30%
former-student earnings, US
82.0%
acceptance rate
57.2%
150%-time completion
+16%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Midsize Carnegie: Doctoral/Prof
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Palm Beach Atlantic University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral/Professional Universities"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

D
College Value Score
44/100
Palm Beach Atlantic University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings B-
$49,232
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$28,354
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate C-
57.2%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$22,500
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B
71.1%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention F
68.0%
First-year students returning for year two
Palm Beach Atlantic University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$49,232

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$28,354

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

57.2%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 57.2%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Palm Beach Atlantic University vs peers

Palm Beach Atlantic University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Palm Beach Atlantic University positioned by… Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Prof Doctoral/P… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $33K $61K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $10K $46K Avg Net Price ($) Palm Beach Atlantic University (you are here): $49K earn · $28K net · 57% grad You are here - Palm Beach Atlanti… Rollins College: $58K earn · $35K net · 76% grad Rollins College Florida Southern College: $55K earn · $29K net · 70% grad Florida Southern C… Bethune-Cookman University: $39K earn · $12K net · 29% grad Bethune-Cookman Un… Everglades University: $48K earn · $27K net · 59% grad Everglades Univers… Flagler College: $49K earn · $31K net · 56% grad Flagler College Lynn University: $49K earn · $44K net · 52% grad Southeastern College-Boynton Beach: $41K earn · $29K net · 77% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Palm Beach Atlantic University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Palm Beach Atlantic University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$49,232 Top 30% higher than 70% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Palm Beach Atlantic University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $49,232 #1537 of 5103 70th
Average net price $28,354 #4319 of 5020 14th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 57.2% #2426 of 4858 50th
Undergraduate enrollment 2,603 #1242 of 5462 77th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

2,603
Undergraduate enrollment
82.0%
Acceptance rate
1,075
SAT average
57.2%
150%-time completion
$49,232
10-yr median earnings
68.0%
First-year retention

How Palm Beach Atlantic University ranks in Florida

State rank among 293 reporting Florida colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Palm Beach Atlantic University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $49,232 #51 of 293 83rd
Average net price $28,354 #211 of 269 22nd (lower is better)
150%-time completion 57.2% #167 of 260 36th
Undergraduate enrollment 2,603 #56 of 297 81st

Highest former-student earnings in Florida

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Miami Ad School$106,192$64,951
2West Coast University-Miami$102,672$32,539
3Chamberlain University-Florida$92,405$31,269
4Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide$84,131$18,725
5Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach$84,131$41,272
6Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science - Florida$79,652-
7University of Miami$75,328$37,244
8AdventHealth University$72,282$30,135
9HCA Florida Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing$72,275$9,109
10University of Florida$71,588$6,541
11University of Florida-Online$71,588$4,815
12Jacksonville University$68,010$25,180
51Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityThis school$49,232$28,354

Admissions

Admission Rate 82.0%
SAT Average 1,075
SAT Math (25th-75th) 450 – 600
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 500 – 620
ACT Average 23
ACT (25th-75th) 18 – 26
0%100%82%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Palm Beach Atlantic University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Palm Beach Atlantic University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $40,650
Out-of-State Tuition $40,650
Average Net Price $28,354
23.0%
Pell Grant Rate
37.2%
Federal Loan Rate
$22,500
Median Debt
$239/mo
Monthly Payment

What students pay at Palm Beach Atlantic University rose +47.8% since 2013

Average net price for the reported Title IV-recipient cohort went from $22,152 in 2013 to $32,751 in 2023, a rise of $10,599 in nominal dollars. Across the 4,315 colleges measured over the same 2013–2023 span, the median change was +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $22,1522014: $19,3262015: $21,9342016: $22,8232017: $23,8912018: $23,8812019: $25,8872020: $26,5302021: $27,5972022: $28,8532023: $32,751
2013 · $22,1522023 · $32,751

Over the same years, enrollment went -3.0% (2,501 → 2,427 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

67.8%
Female
22.0%
First Generation

Outcomes

68.0%
Retention Rate
$42,366
Median Earnings (6yr)
63.9%
Earning Over $25K
71.1%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 57.2%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 68.0%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $42,366
Median earnings 10 years after entry $49,232
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 63.9%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 71.1%
Median federal student debt At completion $22,500
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $239/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 13 318 $56,745 $76,008 $23,484
Master's 4 134 $62,424 $72,925 $42,529
Doctoral 2 0 $124,079 $132,063 $146,388

Top programs at Palm Beach Atlantic University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration Doctoral - $132,063 $228,375
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Doctoral - $116,095 $64,401
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 47 $76,008 $24,979
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 59 $72,925 $33,225
Finance and Financial Management Services Bachelor's 15 $66,689 -
Human Resources Management and Services Bachelor's 16 $60,379 $28,089
Student Counseling and Personnel Services Master's 7 $59,954 $43,318
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 37 $59,081 $19,303
Biology, General Bachelor's 25 $56,258 $19,500
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Master's 65 $54,393 $51,043
Marketing Bachelor's 25 $53,668 $22,750
Theological and Ministerial Studies Bachelor's 23 $53,398 $25,279
Psychology, General Bachelor's 49 $51,530 $22,844
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 12 $47,847 -
Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology Bachelor's 11 $42,589 -

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Palm Beach Atlantic University?
Palm Beach Atlantic University is a private nonprofit institution in West Palm Beach, Florida. The acceptance rate is 82.0%. The average SAT score is 1,075. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,603 students.
How much do Palm Beach Atlantic University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Palm Beach Atlantic University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $49,232 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $42,366.
How much does Palm Beach Atlantic University cost?
The average net price at Palm Beach Atlantic University is $28,354. In-state tuition is $40,650 and out-of-state tuition is $40,650. Median student debt at graduation is $22,500.
What is the graduation rate at Palm Beach Atlantic University?
Palm Beach Atlantic University has a 57.2% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 68.0%.
Is Palm Beach Atlantic University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Palm Beach Atlantic University is $22,500, while former students earn a median of $49,232 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 46% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 71.1% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $239.

Sources & methodology

Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.

Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Palm Beach Atlantic University

Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.