| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public college in the Florida College System, governed by a local district board of trustees; campuses in Ocala, Lecanto and Chiefland, some programs fully online |
| Campuses | Four, all in Florida: Ocala (main campus and Vintage Farm), Lecanto (Citrus County) and Chiefland (Levy County) |
| Credentials | Career and technical certificates, applied technology diplomas, college credit and advanced technical certificates, A.S. and A.A. degrees, and bachelor’s degrees (B.S., B.S.N., B.A.S.) |
| Typical length | EMT one semester; most health A.S. degrees 72-88 credits |
| Students | 9,261 credit and noncredit students, 2024-25 (unduplicated headcount) |
| Accreditation | The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC), associate and bachelor’s degrees |
| Federal aid | Yes; more than 87% of students receive aid, the college says |
| 2026-27 tuition | $112.92 per associate-level credit for Florida residents, $438.20 for non-residents |
| Facts checked | 9 October 2026 |
A public college for Marion, Citrus and Levy counties
The College of Central Florida (CF) is a public college in the Florida College System, governed by a local district board of trustees and serving Marion, Citrus and Levy counties. Alongside the A.A. transfer degree it runs a broad set of career programs: nursing in the AdventHealth Center for Nursing, which opened in Ocala in 2025; EMT, paramedic, dental, imaging, respiratory and surgical programs; FDLE-certified police and corrections academies; welding at the Levy Campus; and equine and agriculture studies at the Vintage Farm. It also awards bachelor’s degrees, including an online RN-to-BSN and a B.S. in early childhood education. A $19.4 million Criminal Justice Institute building broke ground on 1 October 2026, with first classes expected in January 2028.
Career programs at CF
The table shows CF’s main career programs from its program pages and 2026-27 application packets (checked October 2026). Cost figures are CF’s own estimates for students entering in 2027; a dash means the source gave no figure.
| Program | Credential and length | Schedule and entry | Where | Accreditation or approval | Exam or result | CF’s cost estimate, FL resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN) | A.S., 72 credits | Full-time 21 months (August start); accelerated or part-time (January start, Ocala) | Ocala, Citrus | ACEN (continuing) | NCLEX-RN 91.0% Ocala, 92.3% Citrus (2025) | $13,345.38 (2027 entry) |
| LPN-to-ADN Bridge | A.S., for licensed LPNs | 1 year | Ocala, Citrus | ACEN | NCLEX-RN | – |
| RN-to-BSN | B.S.N. | Online; RN licence required | Online | ACEN | – | – |
| EMT | College credit certificate, 12 credits | 16 weeks; January, May and August starts; day or night | Ocala, Levy, Citrus | – | Florida EMT; NREMT | $2,640.14 |
| Paramedic | College credit certificate, 42 credits | 12 months; Florida EMT licence required | Ocala | CAAHEP (CoAEMSP) | NREMT paramedic | $6,655.41 |
| Dental Assisting | Applied technology diploma, 50 credits (1,230 hours) | 1 year; limited access | Ocala | CODA | DANB CDA | – |
| Dental Hygiene | A.S., 88 credits | 5 core semesters; next start fall 2027 | Ocala | CODA | National Board (ADEX/CDCA) | $9,936.96 tuition, plus fees and exams |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | A.S. | – | – | CAPTE | Licensure 100% (2024) | – |
| Radiography | A.S., 77 credits | 5 consecutive semesters; fall start | – | JRCERT, eight-year award | ARRT | – |
| Respiratory Care | A.S., 76 credits | 2 years | Ocala, Citrus | CoARC (provisional) | NBRC CRT/RRT | – |
| Surgical Services | A.S. | At least 120 scrubbed cases | – | CAAHEP (ARC/STSA) | CST 100% (2021-22 to 2024-25) | – |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | A.S., 77 credits | 4 program semesters; up to 24 start each fall | Ocala | CAAHEP (JRC-DMS) | ARDMS specialty exams 100% (2024 cohort) | $8,694.84 tuition, plus $4,054.24 fees and expenses |
| Cardiovascular Technology | A.S. | Adult echo and invasive specializations | Ocala | Not listed on CF’s accreditation page | CCI RCIS or RCS | – |
| Florida Law Enforcement Academy | Career and technical certificate | Full-time class started January 2026 | Ocala (Criminal Justice Institute) | FDLE CJSTC | State Officer Certification Exam | – |
| Correctional Officer | Career and technical certificate | – | Ocala (Criminal Justice Institute) | FDLE CJSTC | – | – |
| Welding Technology | Career and technical certificate | 3 semesters; advanced certificate follows | Levy (Chiefland) | – | Industry welding certification | – |
| Engineering Technology | A.S. | Four specializations | Ocala | – | MSSC CPT, FANUC, AutoCAD and others | – |
| Equine Studies | A.S. | Two specializations | Vintage Farm (Ocala) | – | – | – |
CF also offers Computer Information Technology, Graphics Technology, Accounting Technology, Business Administration (online), Supply Chain Management, Office Administration, Health Information Technology, Health Care Management, Criminal Justice Technology, Agribusiness Management and Precision Agriculture Technology A.S. degrees, plus shorter certificates in programming, network and data security, human resources and logistics. The Corporate College adds noncredit courses such as FANUC robotics, electrical basics, forklift and OSHA 10/30.
What the main programs cover
Nursing tracks and bridges
The Nursing A.S. is 72 credits. The full-time track runs four semesters over 21 months with no summer term, starting each August at Ocala or Citrus; at Ocala an accelerated track covers four consecutive semesters and a part-time track six, both starting in January. Admission is limited: an information session, a TEAS composite of 60% or more, a nursing GPA of at least 2.50 and a points ranking. Clinicals are in Marion, Citrus, Levy and nearby counties. Licensed LPNs and paramedics can take a bridge, and RNs can finish the BSN online.
EMT and paramedic
EMT is a 12-credit, one-semester certificate with January, May and August starts: a day section at Ocala on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 to 6, and night sections at Levy and Citrus from Monday to Thursday, 6 to 10 p.m. It leads to Florida EMT certification and the NREMT exam. Paramedic follows: 42 credits over 12 months at Ocala, open only to students with a Florida EMT licence. The two can be combined with general education into the 73-credit EMS A.S., and a noncredit critical care transport course serves working paramedics and RNs.
Imaging and cardiac programs
Radiography is a 77-credit A.S. taken in five consecutive semesters after acceptance into the fall cohort, preparing students for the ARRT exam. Diagnostic Medical Sonography is also 77 credits, with Abdominal-Extended and OB/GYN concentrations and four program semesters including a summer; applicants are selected using nine general-education prerequisites, the TEAS and a 2.0 GPA, and up to 24 start each fall. Cardiovascular Technology, taught only at Ocala, offers adult echocardiography and invasive specializations leading to the CCI’s RCS or RCIS exams.
Dental assisting and dental hygiene
Dental Assisting is an applied technology diploma of 50 credits, or 1,230 contact hours, taken in one year with limited-access admission; it prepares students for the DANB Certified Dental Assistant exam. Dental Hygiene is an 88-credit A.S. with 32 general-education credits and five core semesters; the next class starts in fall 2027, with applications taken from 3 to 27 May 2027. Hygiene graduates sit the National Board (ADEX/CDCA) and Florida’s laws and rules exams. Both programs and the dental clinic now operate at the Ocala Campus.
Police and corrections academies
The Florida Law Enforcement Academy and the Correctional Officer academy are career and technical certificates certified by the FDLE Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, taught in the Criminal Justice Institute at Ocala; the corrections academy is in Building 31. A full-time police academy class began on 13 January 2026. The police academy leads to Florida’s State Officer Certification Exam, and crossover courses let certified officers switch between corrections and policing. The Criminal Justice Technology A.S. is a separate degree, not one of the FDLE-certified academies.
Welding and engineering technology
Welding is taught only at the Levy Campus in Chiefland. The Welding Technology certificate takes three semesters and prepares students for industry certification as welders, flame cutters and tack, arc or production-line welders; an advanced certificate follows. In Ocala, the Engineering Technology A.S. offers supply chain automation, quality, electronics and advanced manufacturing specializations, with MSSC Certified Production Technician, Lean Bronze, FANUC robotics, SACA and AutoCAD Certified User credentials available along the way. Its manufacturing lab also hosts Lockheed Martin apprenticeships.
2026-27 tuition and paying for it
Florida colleges charge a single resident rate, so there is no separate in-district price. CF’s 2026-27 rates and cost-of-attendance figures are:
| 2026-27 | Florida resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Associate-level courses, per credit | $112.92 | $438.20 |
| Career certificates (clock-hour programs), per credit | $88.08 | – |
| Associate, tuition and fees for a year (24 credits) | $2,712 | $10,512 |
| Bachelor’s, tuition and fees for a year (24 credits) | $3,096 | $14,184 |
| Career certificates, tuition and fees for a year | $2,136 | $8,568 |
Some courses add a material access fee of $20.67 per credit. Program totals vary widely: CF estimates $2,640.14 for EMT and $13,345.38 for the Nursing A.S. for Florida residents entering in 2027, and the dental hygiene packet lists $8,489.53 in lab fees on top of tuition.
CF takes federal financial aid, and the college says more than 87% of its students receive aid. The Citrus County Hospital Board Nursing Promise Scholarship covers in-state tuition and lab fees for eligible Citrus County residents admitted to the nursing A.S., and the Honors Institute at the Citrus Campus offers scholarships. CDL students arrange aid and payment plans with FleetForce, not CF.
Open admission, with limited-access health programs
Anyone who meets CF’s general admission requirements can enroll, but the health programs choose students through separate applications.
- Nursing: information session, TEAS composite of at least 60% and a nursing GPA of at least 2.50, ranked on points.
- Sonography: nine general-education prerequisites, the TEAS and a 2.0 GPA; a prior degree adds ranking points.
- Paramedic: a Florida EMT licence. LPN bridge: a current LPN licence. RN-to-BSN: an RN licence.
- Classes are offered on campus, online, hybrid (on campus about once a week) and live online over Zoom.
Accreditation and results
CF is accredited by The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Programmatic accreditors named on CF’s accreditation page and program pages include ACEN (nursing, with continuing accreditation), CODA (dental assisting and dental hygiene), CAAHEP (paramedic, surgical services and sonography), CAPTE (physical therapist assistant), JRCERT (radiography), CoARC (respiratory care, provisional) and CAHIIM (health information technology). The police and corrections academies are certified by the FDLE Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission.
| Measure | Result | Cohort and source |
|---|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN, first-time pass (Ocala program) | 91.0% (91 of 100) | Calendar 2025; Florida Board of Nursing |
| NCLEX-RN, first-time pass (Citrus program) | 92.3% (12 of 13) | Calendar 2025; Florida Board of Nursing |
| PTA licensure, first-time pass | 92.9% (2023); 100% (2024) | PTA program outcomes page |
| PTA employment / graduation | 100% of graduates seeking work employed, both years; graduation 80% (2023), 78.57% (2024) | PTA program outcomes page |
| Certified Surgical Technologist, first attempt | 100% each class | 2021-22 to 2024-25; Surgical Services page |
| Surgical technology placement / graduation | 100% within a year; 77% graduated (14 of 18) | 2024-25; Surgical Services page |
| Sonography graduation / exams / placement | 86% (6 of 7); 100% on ARDMS specialty exams; 83% placed | 2024 cohort; Sonography program page |
CF publishes no numeric pass rates for EMT and paramedic, saying only that its results are consistently among the highest in the state, and the radiography, respiratory care, dental and police academy pages show no rates. In 2024-25 the college served 9,261 credit and noncredit students.
Before you enroll
- The college is open admission, but its health programs are limited access, each with its own application, information session, GPA minimum and points ranking; nursing and sonography also need the TEAS. Dental Hygiene admits its next class only in fall 2027.
- Some programs are taught at one site only: Paramedic and Cardiovascular Technology at Ocala, and welding at the Levy Campus in Chiefland.
- Respiratory Care holds provisional CoARC accreditation as a new program, and CF’s accreditation page lists no accreditor for Cardiovascular Technology, so ask about its status and graduates’ exam eligibility before enrolling.
- CF has no practical nursing (LPN) program: its LPN bridge is for nurses who are already licensed, and the B.S.N. is only for licensed RNs. The Fire Science Technology A.S. is designed for current firefighters and fire officers.
- Some training sold through CF is not a CF credential. CDL Class A and B courses are noncredit and delivered by FleetForce Truck Driving School, a third-party partner that sets the price (CF’s CDL page was last updated in July 2024), and the Corporate College’s online health courses are resold CareerStep and Ed2Go courses.
Career help, tutoring and housing
The Talent Center at the Ocala and Citrus campuses offers job placement help and mock interviews. Both campuses have testing centers and free tutoring, and the Levy Campus has GED testing, a TRIO Educational Opportunity Center and tutoring. We found no college housing; CF’s cost of attendance includes budgets for students living at home or away.
What students say
On Niche, the College of Central Florida averages 3.7 out of 5 from 1,205 reviews (checked 9 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise friendly, approachable professors, small classes and low cost. The most common complaints are disorganized registration, financial aid and advising, poorly planned student events and campus food. These are college-wide reviews rather than reviews of a particular career program, and we could not check whether they were invited by the college or posted in bursts.
Sources
Checked 9 October 2026: CF locations · CF at a Glance · 2026-27 cost of attendance · Health Sciences programs · Florida Board of Nursing 2025 NCLEX-RN results · Criminal Justice and Public Service · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing
- Nursing (A.S.; full-time, accelerated and part-time tracks)
- LPN-to-ADN Bridge (A.S.; licensed LPNs only)
- Paramedic-to-ADN Bridge (A.S.; licensed paramedics only)
- RN-to-BSN (B.S.N.; online; licensed RNs only)
Health Sciences
- Emergency Medical Technician (college credit certificate)
- Paramedic (college credit certificate; Ocala)
- Emergency Medical Services (A.S.)
- Dental Assisting (applied technology diploma)
- Dental Hygiene (A.S.)
- Physical Therapist Assistant (A.S.)
- Radiography (A.S.)
- Respiratory Care (A.S.)
- Surgical Services (A.S.)
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography Technology (A.S.)
- Cardiovascular Technology (A.S.; Ocala)
- Health Information Technology (A.S.)
- Health Care Management (A.S.)
- Medical Office Administration (certificate)
- Fire Science Technology (A.S.; for current firefighters)
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
- Florida Law Enforcement Academy (career and technical certificate)
- Correctional Officer (career and technical certificate)
- Law enforcement and corrections crossovers
- Criminal Justice Technology (A.S.); Criminal Justice Technology Specialist (certificate; online)
- Emergency Management (advanced technical certificate)
Skilled Trades and Engineering
- Welding Technology; Welding Technology - Advanced (career and technical certificates; Levy)
- Engineering Technology (A.S.; supply chain automation, quality, electronics, advanced manufacturing)
- Mechatronics, automation and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (certificates)
Technology and Digital Media
- Computer Information Technology (A.S.)
- Computer Programming Specialist (certificate)
- Network Security (certificate); Data Security (advanced technical certificate)
- IT Support Specialist and Help Desk (certificates)
- Graphics Technology (A.S.); Graphic Design Support (certificate)
- Digital Media/Multimedia Web Production (certificate)
Business
- Accounting Technology (A.S.) and certificates
- Business Administration (A.S.; online)
- Business and Organizational Management (B.A.S.)
- Human Resources Administrator (certificate)
- Supply Chain Management (A.S.); logistics certificates
- Office Administration (A.S.) and office certificates
- Hospitality and Tourism Management
Agriculture and Equine
- Equine Studies (A.S.) and equine certificates
- Agribusiness Management (A.S.)
- Precision Agriculture Technology (A.S.)
- Livestock Production Management (certificate)
Education
- Early Childhood Education (B.S.)
- Early Childhood Education (A.S.; online)
- Early Childhood Development; Child Care Center Management (certificates; online)
Campus Locations
Ocala, FL 3001 S.W. College Road, Ocala, FL 34474-4415
Lecanto, FL 3800 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto, FL 34461
Chiefland, FL 15390 N.W. Highway 19, Chiefland, FL 32626
Ocala, FL 4020 S.E. Third Ave., Ocala, FL 34470