| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public state college in the Florida College System, governed by a District Board of Trustees; campus and online classes |
| Locations | Six campuses plus the News-Journal Center arts site, in Volusia and Flagler counties, Florida |
| Credentials | Clock-hour vocational certificates, college credit certificates, applied technology diplomas, advanced technical certificates, associate degrees (AS and AA), bachelor’s degrees (BS and BAS) and registered apprenticeships |
| Typical length | 120 hours (nursing assistant) or eight weeks (phlebotomy) to two years (AS degrees); apprenticeships four or five years |
| Tuition | Florida residents, fees included (2026–27, frozen for the 16th year): $102.38 per credit hour for associate degrees and college credit certificates, $120.32 for bachelor’s, $82.24 per vocational credit (30 clock hours) |
| Accreditation | SACSCOC, for associate and baccalaureate degrees |
| Federal aid | Yes, for most programs; not for Paramedic or the apprenticeships |
| Admission | Open admission to the college; many career programs are limited access, with their own applications |
| Students | 23,471 (unduplicated headcount, 2025/26, college figure) |
| Founded | 1957, as Daytona Beach Junior College; named Daytona State College since 2008 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
A public college for Volusia and Flagler counties
Daytona State College opened in 1957 as Daytona Beach Junior College, became Daytona Beach Community College in 1971, awarded its first bachelor’s degrees in 2006 and took its current name in 2008. It is part of the Florida College System and enrolled 23,471 students in 2025/26. It is not the same school as Daytona College, a private career college in Ormond Beach.
The college lists more than 100 certificate, associate and bachelor’s programs. For career training, three things stand out: a large set of accredited health programs with published licensure pass rates; a separate trades campus, the Advanced Technology College; and a School of Emergency Services that runs the police, corrections, fire, EMT and paramedic programs, with its own firearms range and driving track in DeLand. Tuition has been frozen for 16 years in a row.
Career programs and where they are taught
Most career programs are in the 2026–27 catalog’s program guides. “Where” names a campus only when the college’s campus or program pages do; otherwise ask the college. Hours are clock hours.
| Program | Credential and length | Where | Prepares for / accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN) | AS, 72 credits, five semesters | Daytona Beach, DeLand, Deltona, Flagler/Palm Coast, New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater (campus pages) | NCLEX-RN; ACEN |
| Nursing, Transition Into Profession | AS, 72 credits with 10 of advanced standing, about two years | Ask the college | For LPNs, paramedics and RRTs; NCLEX-RN; ACEN |
| RN-to-BSN | BS, 120 credits in total, up to six semesters | Online | For licensed RNs; ACEN |
| Practical Nursing | Certificate, 1,350 hours, about 42 weeks | Daytona Beach | NCLEX-PN |
| Nursing Assistant | Certificate, 120 hours | Daytona Beach | Florida CNA exam |
| Medical Assisting | Certificate, 1,300 hours, three semesters | Daytona Beach | CAAHEP |
| Phlebotomy | Certificate, 165 hours, about eight weeks | Ask the college | No exam named |
| Medical Coder/Biller | College credit certificate, 37 credits, three semesters | Ask the college | No exam named |
| Dental Assisting | Certificate, 1,230 hours, about one year | Ask the college | Florida EFDA; DANB CDA eligibility |
| Dental Hygiene | AS, 88 credits, two years | DeLand | National Board exam; CODA |
| Radiography | AS, 77 credits, two years, full time | Ask the college | ARRT; JRCERT |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | AS, 77 credits, six semesters | Deltona | ARDMS; CAAHEP |
| Respiratory Care | AS, 76 credits, two years | Ask the college | NBRC CRT/RRT; CoARC |
| Surgical Technology | AS, 64 credits, two years | Ask the college | NBSTSA CST; CAAHEP |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | AS, 74 credits, two years | Ask the college | NBCOT COTA; ACOTE |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | AS, 74 credits, two years | Ask the college | NPTE-PTA; CAPTE |
| Massage Therapy | Certificate, 650 hours, two semesters | Ask the college | Florida massage license exam |
| EMT | Applied technology diploma, 12 credits, one semester | Advanced Technology College, Flagler/Palm Coast | Florida EMT certification |
| Paramedic | College credit certificate, 42 credits, four semesters | Advanced Technology College, Flagler/Palm Coast | Florida paramedic exam |
| Fire Fighter | Certificate, 492 hours, 30 weeks | Ask the college | Firefighter I and II |
| Florida Law Enforcement Academy | Certificate, 770 hours, 20 weeks full time | DeLand range; contact office in Daytona Beach | State Officer Certification Exam |
| Correctional Officer | Certificate, 445 hours | Ask the college | State Officer Certification Exam |
| Automotive Service Technology | Certificate, 1,800 hours, about two years | Advanced Technology College | ASE; ASE Education Foundation accredited |
| Collision Repair and Refinishing | Certificate, 1,155 hours, three semesters | Advanced Technology College | ASE and I-CAR |
| HVAC/R | Certificates of 1,350 hours (four semesters) and 750 hours (30 weeks) | Advanced Technology College | No exam named |
| Welding Technology – Applied | Certificate, 725 hours, 51 weeks | Deltona | No exam named; Advanced Welding needs AWS D1.1 3G |
| CNC Machining | Certificate, 600 hours, about two semesters | Deltona, New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater | No exam named |
| Building Trades | Certificate, 900 hours, two semesters | Advanced Technology College | NCCER credentials possible |
| Electrical apprenticeships | Four years: 792 classroom hours in the catalog and 8,000 on the job | Advanced Technology College (non-union); sponsor’s site in Port Orange (union) | Journeyman |
| Plumbers and Pipefitters apprenticeship | Five years: 10,000 hours on the job | Through Local 295 | Journeyman certificate |
| Cosmetology | Certificate, 1,200 hours, about 40 weeks | Daytona Beach, Deltona | Florida cosmetology license |
| Barbering | Certificate, 900 hours, two semesters; day or evening | Daytona Beach | Florida barber license |
| Culinary, baking and hospitality | College credit certificates and AS degrees | Daytona Beach | — |
| Broadcast and TV production | AS and certificates, with WDSC-TV 15 | Daytona Beach | — |
| Music Production Technology | AS and audio certificates | News-Journal Center | — |
The college also teaches business, accounting, office administration, IT, cybersecurity, software development, applied AI, drafting, engineering technology, interior design, early childhood education and teacher education; see the full list further down this page. A non-credit CDL course runs at the Advanced Technology College with a partner trucking school (four weeks, 160 hours), and no Daytona State certificate is named for it. An Aviation Maintenance Management AS is in the 2026–27 catalog marked “Pending Final Approval”. The Optician Technology and Database Technology degrees no longer appear in the catalog.
What the main programs cover
Nursing AS (RN)
The nursing AS is a limited-access program. Like most of the college’s health programs, it asks for a high school diploma or GED, a TEAS score of 65%, a background check and drug screen, BLS certification and immunizations. Students start in January or August and use the simulation labs of Health Science Hall on the Daytona Beach campus. Campus pages also list nursing at DeLand, Deltona, Flagler/Palm Coast and New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater (classes there began in fall 2025), but the School of Nursing’s own page names only Daytona Beach, so confirm where your courses will meet.
Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing is a clock-hour program of three semesters that starts once a year, in August, on the Daytona Beach campus. Applicants must score at the 65th percentile on the TEAS and clear an FBI background check, and they share the campus’s nursing simulation labs with the RN students. LPNs who later want an RN license can return for the Transition Into Profession AS, which gives 10 credits of advanced standing toward the 72-credit nursing degree.
Medical Assisting
Medical Assisting runs for three semesters on the Daytona Beach campus and is accredited by CAAHEP. Its 1,300 hours (43.33 vocational credits) finish with a 240-hour externship. It is limited access, with its own application. The program guide does not name the certification exam students take, and the college notes that certification is not required for employment, so ask which credential most graduates earn. The program guide does not say who arranges the externship placement.
Florida Law Enforcement Academy
The academy runs full time for 20 weeks, with new cohorts in January, March, August and October; the 2026 application deadlines are 15 November, 15 January, 15 June and 15 August. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, be 19 by graduation, score at least 70% on the FDLE Basic Abilities Test and pass an FDLE/FBI background check. Firearms and driving training take place at the DeLand campus’s indoor range and defensive-driving track. Graduates sit Florida’s State Officer Certification Exam. A 2024 college release reported a 94% average pass rate.
Automotive Service Technology
The 1,800-hour automotive program at the Advanced Technology College runs for about two years, with a day track and an evening track. It is accredited by the ASE Education Foundation (formerly NATEF) and was re-accredited in 2024, and the campus is an official ASE testing site. The same campus teaches the 1,155-hour Collision Repair and Refinishing program, built on the I-CAR curriculum framework and leading toward ASE and I-CAR certifications.
Electrical and plumbing apprenticeships
Daytona State provides the classroom part of three registered apprenticeships, but the sponsors do the hiring: apprentices are employed and paid while they train, and placement goes through the Mid-Florida GNJ committee (non-union electrical), the Electrical Training Alliance of Daytona Beach (union electrical) or Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 295. The plumbing apprenticeship needs applicants aged 18 or over with one high school algebra credit. The apprenticeships are state-subsidized but not eligible for federal financial aid.
Cost and paying for it
The 2026–27 tuition and fees below are totals per credit hour, including the financial aid, technology, student activity and capital improvement fees. Tuition was frozen for the 16th consecutive year in June 2026. Vocational certificates are charged per vocational credit, which equals 30 clock hours.
| Program level | Florida resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Associate (AA, AS) and college credit certificates, per credit hour | $102.38 | $398.65 |
| Bachelor’s (BS, BAS), per credit hour | $120.32 | $623.29 |
| Vocational certificates, per vocational credit (30 clock hours) | $82.24 | $328.96 |
| Adult Education and Applied Academics, per term | $30.00 | $30.00 |
Other charges include an $18 application fee, a $38 assessment fee in the first semester, lab fees of $2 to $1,506 depending on the course, a $15 per credit hour distance-learning fee for online classes, and a $25 (certificate) or $35 (degree) graduation fee. At the 2026–27 resident rate, the 72-credit nursing AS comes to about $7,371 and the 1,200-hour cosmetology certificate to about $3,290 before lab fees and books (our arithmetic). The college publishes two program totals: about $2,388 for CNC Machining, including lab fees, textbooks and the graduation fee, and about $3,800 for the Law Enforcement Academy, including equipment, a physical and FDLE fees. Niche, using federal data, gives an average net price of $5,945 a year (October 2026).
For federal aid, the college lists grants, scholarships, Direct Loans and work-study. Most vocational and AS programs are eligible for federal aid and Florida’s Bright Futures Scholarship Program, but the Paramedic certificate and the electrical and plumbing apprenticeships are not (the apprenticeships are state-subsidized instead). The Daytona State College Foundation’s scholarship application for 2026–27 is open, but amounts are not listed. Veterans Services, in the Wetherell Center on the Daytona Beach campus, handles VA benefits under chapters 30, 31, 33, 35 and 1606, and the college was named a gold-level Military Friendly school in 2024. The Vets Create program offered up to 25 art-course scholarships for veterans and their families in 2025–26, worth up to $400 per class.
Admission and schedules
Admission to the college is open. Many career programs are limited access, with separate applications and selection: nursing, practical nursing, medical assisting, phlebotomy, the dental, imaging, respiratory, surgical and therapy-assistant programs, massage, EMT and paramedic, the police, corrections and fire academies, Advanced Welding and FAME. Health programs typically need a high school diploma or GED, age 18 or older, a background check and drug screen, BLS certification and immunizations, and several (nursing, sonography, dental hygiene, radiography) a TEAS score of 65.
Start dates vary by program: the nursing AS starts in January and August, Practical Nursing in August, Dental Assisting and Radiography in summer, and the police academy four times a year. Automotive Service Technology and Barbering have day and evening tracks. The RN-to-BSN, the BS in Cardiopulmonary Science and the Leadership concentration of the BS in Radiologic and Imaging Sciences are fully online. Daytona State takes part in SARA for online students from other states, but for any program that leads to a license, check first with the licensing board in the state where you live.
Accreditation and results
Daytona State is accredited by SACSCOC to award associate and baccalaureate degrees; its last reaffirmation was in the fall 2023 cycle, and the next review is due in 2034. Programs carry their own accreditation from ACEN (nursing), CODA (dental hygiene), JRCERT (radiography), CAAHEP (medical assisting, sonography, surgical technology), CoARC (respiratory care), ACOTE (occupational therapy assistant), CAPTE (physical therapist assistant), the ASE Education Foundation (automotive) and ABET (BS in Information Technology).
The college’s 2026 Core Performance Indicators report licensure and certification pass rates by program. It does not give the number of test-takers, so a small class can swing a rate a long way.
| Program | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN) | 98.2% | 95.0% |
| Practical Nursing | 85.7% | 95.2% |
| Dental Hygiene | 100% | 100% |
| Radiography | 100% | 100% |
| Respiratory Care | 92.0% | 95.0% |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | 92.3% | 93.0% |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 93.0% | 60.0% |
| Law Enforcement | 100% | 98.2% |
| Corrections | 97.0% | 91.3% |
| Firefighting | 68.0% | 78.0% |
| EMT | 65.0% | 79.0% |
| Paramedic | 71.0% | 76.0% |
| Medical Assisting | 89.0% | 64.0% |
| Massage Therapy | 86.6% | 62.0% |
| Cosmetology | 60.0% | 70.0% |
| Barbering | 67.0% | 53.0% |
The same report gives an 82% employment rate for AS graduates and an average AS graduate wage of $65,687 (2023/24, Florida FETPIP data). Federal data shown on Niche give a 43% graduation rate and a median of $44,480 in earnings after five years (October 2026).
In an operational audit released in October 2024 (report 2025-025, covering calendar 2023), Florida’s Auditor General reported two findings: the college had not published general-education course syllabi as state law requires (none for Spring 2023 and 45% missing for Summer 2023), and it ruled that $313,113 in one-time payments to 364 employees in July 2023 were prohibited “extra compensation”. The college disputed the second finding. The Auditor General’s financial audit for the year ended 30 June 2025, published in March 2026, reported no material weaknesses and no reportable noncompliance.
Before you enroll
- Pass rates vary widely by program. Dental hygiene and radiography report 100%, but barbering was 53%, occupational therapy assistant 60%, massage therapy 62% and medical assisting 64% in 2024/25. Ask a program for its latest results and class size before you apply.
- Getting into the college is not getting into the program. Open admission covers general enrollment; nursing, the health programs and the public safety academies have their own applications, tests and deadlines.
- Not everything is covered by federal aid. The Paramedic certificate and the apprenticeships are not aid-eligible, and the CDL course is a non-credit partner course for which no college certificate is named.
- Check where your classes meet. The college’s campus pages and program pages do not always agree (nursing is one example), and several IT and office programs are only partly available at the New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater campus.
- Aviation maintenance is not open yet. The Aviation Maintenance Management AS is listed as pending final approval, and its FAA certification status is not stated.
Six campuses and an arts center
Daytona State has six campuses and the News-Journal Center, which its catalog counts as seven instructional sites. Headcounts are for 2025/26; students who take classes at several sites are counted at each.
- Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. (20,833 students): health sciences, hospitality and culinary, barbering and cosmetology, WDSC-TV, and the residence hall.
- Advanced Technology College, 1770 Technology Blvd., Daytona Beach (2,273): automotive, collision, HVAC/R, building trades, electrical apprenticeship, engineering technology, EMT and paramedic.
- DeLand Campus, 1155 County Road 4139 (2,555): dental hygiene, the public safety firearms range and driving track, nursing.
- Deltona Campus, 2351 Providence Blvd. (1,948): sonography, welding, CNC machining, cosmetology, nursing.
- Flagler/Palm Coast Campus, 3000 Palm Coast Parkway SE, Palm Coast (1,585): nursing, EMT and paramedic, business.
- New Smyrna Beach/Edgewater Campus, 940 10th St., New Smyrna Beach (1,030): nursing, accounting, business, CNC machining.
- News-Journal Center, 221 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach: music production and audio, two theaters.
The union electrical apprenticeship’s classes meet at its sponsor’s training center in Port Orange, which is not a Daytona State campus.
Housing and hands-on facilities
- Housing: the four-story residence hall on the Daytona Beach campus has 252 beds and opened in 2022. The housing page lists $6,175 (double suite) to $7,470 (single private room) a year, plus a required meal plan of $4,190 to $4,962 and a $25 application fee; it does not say which year those rates are for.
- Training open to the public: the Deltona cosmetology salon takes walk-in clients, and broadcast students work at WDSC-TV 15, which the college owns.
- Clinical and externship hours: 240 for medical assisting, 480 for dental assisting, 90 for phlebotomy and 90 for EMT. Ask each program how placements are arranged.
- Academic support: Academic Support Centers on six campuses and a Writing Center.
What students say
On Niche, Daytona State has 3.81 out of 5 from 1,755 reviews (checked 6 October 2026); 473 are five-star and 45 one-star, and most fall at three or four stars. Reviewers most often praise:
- low cost for what students get;
- approachable, engaged professors and small classes;
- a welcoming, supportive atmosphere.
The most common complaints are:
- inconsistent academic advising and unclear communication about degree requirements;
- a limited range of courses and specializations.
We could not detect an invited or bursty pattern in the recent reviews (August to October 2025). They are about the college as a whole, so they say little about any single career program.
Sources
Checked October 2026: Campus information · 2026–27 catalog program guides · Tuition and fees 2026–27 · 2026 Core Performance Indicators · School of Nursing · Accreditation · Auditor General report 2025-025 · Niche reviews
Programs & Courses
Nursing
- Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate
- Practical Nursing certificate (LPN)
- Nursing AS (RN)
- Nursing AS, Transition Into Profession (LPN, paramedic or RRT to RN)
- Nursing BS (online RN-to-BSN)
Health sciences
- Medical Assisting certificate
- Phlebotomy certificate
- Medical Information Coder/Biller certificate
- Radiography AS
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography AS
- Respiratory Care AS
- Surgical Technology AS
- Occupational Therapy Assistant AS
- Physical Therapist Assistant AS
- Massage Therapy certificate
- Cardiopulmonary Science BS (online, for RRTs)
- Radiologic and Imaging Sciences BS (for registered technologists)
Dental
- Dental Assisting certificate
- Dental Hygiene AS
Emergency services and public safety
- Emergency Medical Technician (ATD)
- Paramedic certificate
- Emergency Medical Services AS
- Fire Fighter certificate
- Florida Law Enforcement Academy
- Correctional Officer Recruit Training
- Criminal Justice AS
- Criminal Justice Technology Bridge AS
- Paralegal Studies AS
Trades and apprenticeships
- Automotive Service Technology
- Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing
- HVAC/R Service and Repair Technician
- HVAC/R Installation and Maintenance Mechanic
- Welding Technology – Applied
- Advanced Welding
- CNC Machining
- Advanced Machining Technologies
- Building Trades and Construction Design Technology
- Electrical Apprentice (non-union and union)
- Plumbers and Pipefitters Apprentice (union)
Engineering, drafting and design
- Engineering Technology AS
- Electronics Engineering Technology AS
- Computer Engineering Technology AS
- Engineering Technology BS
- FAME Advanced Manufacturing Technician certificate
- Drafting and Design Technology AS and CAD certificates
- Architectural and Building Technology AS
- Interior Design Technology AS
Cosmetology and barbering
- Cosmetology
- Barbering
Hospitality and culinary
- Culinary Management AS
- Culinary Arts certificate
- Baking and Pastry Arts certificate
- Hospitality Management AS
- Hospitality Beverage Science certificate
Business and office
- Accounting Technology AS
- Accounting BS
- Business Administration AS
- Entrepreneurship certificates
- Office Administration AS (General or Legal)
- Project Management ATC
- Supervision and Management BAS (seven concentrations)
Information technology
- Computer Information Technology AS
- Information Technology BS
- Cybersecurity and Network Systems Technology AS
- Software Development AS (formerly Computer Programming and Analysis)
- Web Development Specialist certificate
- Applied AI and Data Analytics AS
Media
- Broadcast TV Production AS
- Television Studio Production certificate
- Music Production Technology AS
- Digital and Interactive Media Production AS
- Photographic Technology AS
Education
- Early Childhood Education AS and certificate
- Elementary and Exceptional Student Education BS
- Secondary science and math education BS
- Educator Preparation Institute
Campus Locations
Daytona Beach, FL (Main Campus) 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Daytona Beach, FL (Advanced Technology College) 1770 Technology Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32117
DeLand, FL 1155 County Road 4139, DeLand, FL 32724
Deltona, FL 2351 Providence Blvd., Deltona, FL 32725
Palm Coast, FL (Flagler/Palm Coast Campus) 3000 Palm Coast Parkway SE, Palm Coast, FL 32137
New Smyrna Beach, FL 940 10th St., New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
Daytona Beach, FL (News-Journal Center) 221 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach, FL 32114