• FSU Panama City is the regional campus of a nationally recognized Tier 1 research institution
• The most technologically advanced learning facility in the country opened in October 2013 at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City
• Bay County’s High School students score higher on the SAT than students across the nation
• Bay County’s has a higher percentage of high school graduates than the state of Florida

Bay County has the infrastructure necessary to grow quality talent to meet today’s workforce needs. From early learning opportunities to post-secondary degree programs, Bay County has access to quality educational institutions. To meet the rising demands for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers, our top-notch education institutions have partnered with our business community to integrate real-world programs into their curriculum.

Bay County's Educational Institutions

• Florida State University Panama City
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Troy University
• Gulf Coast State College
• Haney Technical Center
• Bay District Schools (Pre-K – 12)

Florida State University

Panama City is home to the regional campus of The Florida State University, a nationally recognized Tier-1 research institution. The mission of Florida State University Panama City (FSU Panama City) is to create opportunities by providing access to high-quality undergraduate and graduate level programs, as well as encouraging regional military and business research partnerships to enrich and empower individuals. FSU Panama City offers four-year academic degree plans in a variety of high demand occupation fields.

FSU Panama City’s nationally recognized degree programs offer academic quality and value. U.S. News and World Report ranked FSU in the top 50 of the nation’s public universities. FSU was also ranked in 14th in Forbes Top 100 Best Buy Colleges and 18th in Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges. FSU is one of the best values among universities in the country according to The Princeton Review. Many of the programs offered at the FSU Panama City campus have won national awards for excellence.

As part of a world-class university known for excellence in teaching and state-of-the-art technology, FSU Panama City offers the opportunity to earn a degree on a smaller campus in a beautiful waterfront setting. Located along North Bay in Panama City, Florida, the natural beauty of the campus provides the perfect environment for learning.

FSU Panama City is committed to providing students with a welcoming and supportive environment which maximizes their opportunities for learning and personal development. Students are encouraged to get involved. In addition to academics, students have access to social and leadership opportunities through participation in a number of student organizations. The learning experience continues outside the classroom through work-study, internships and coop opportunities with FSU Panama City’s many community and business partners.

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs at its Worldwide Campus at Tyndall Air Force Base in Bay County. Courses of study include Aeronautical Science, Management, Professional Aeronautics and Technical Management. Embry-Riddle Worldwide also offers undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in 12 aviation-related specialties.

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Troy University

Troy University’s Panama City/Tyndall Air Force Base site is one of Troy’s 60 teaching sites across the U.S. and around the world.

Troy offers several in-class and online undergraduate and graduate courses, including Business Administration, Computer Science and Resource and Technology Management.

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Gulf Coast State College

Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) has served Northwest Florida since 1957. GCSC offers dynamic workforce-focused degree programs in numerous fields, including Computer Science and Software Engineering, Engineering, Information Technology and Medical Technology. The certificate programs include Applied Science and Applied Technical. GCSC recently established its first-ever bachelor’s degrees in Applied Science and Technology Management.

Each semester, the college enrolls over 7,000 students in credit courses, with thousands more registering in its continuing education programs. GCSC offers customer service training through its Lifelong Learning Center.

The college’s state-of-the-art Advanced Technology Center (ATC) opened on October 2013. The Center is one of the most technologically advanced learning facilities in the country. The ATC will provide training attuned to emerging workforce needs of the technology, engineering, and alternative energy industries. Educational opportunities will be offered in fields such as renewable energies, alternative energies, sustainable building design, architecture and engineering, information science, computer integrated manufacturing, e-Learning, and culinary arts careers. These programs are designed to increase learning opportunities for students and to infuse business and entrepreneurship principles into its educational tenets.

The programs will extend beyond the ATC and be offered at off-site learning laboratories with K-12 institutions, the area military installations and community businesses. An Entrepreneurial Development Center, Virtual Incubator and Entrepreneur’s Institute will also be housed within the ATC, promoting the development of new ideas and providing support for new and existing businesses across Northwest Florida.

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Haney Technical Center

Haney Technical Center has been committed to providing students the opportunity to choose from a diverse array of 18 workforce educational options. Graduates have proven to be self-confident in their pursuits, trained in the technology of their career interest and capable of responding to a rapidly changing world. Haney’s mission is to provide educational opportunities for all students and the hands on training necessary to meet the needs and standards of today’s changing workplace. Program lengths range from 9 months to over 2 years. Many students are career ready in just one year. Haney also offers GED, Adult Basic Education, and English for Speakers of Other Language classes too.

Some of the more popular training programs include aviation mechanics, welding, industrial pipefitter, HVAC, electrical, automotive service and collision, marine mechanics and nursing. Haney is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified, CFR Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technician School that provides training for aviation maintenance general technician, aviation airframe mechanics and aviation powerplant mechanics. Based on 2017 COE annual report data, the average licensure pass rate for Haney students was 97%.

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Bay District Schools

Bay District Schools serves approximately 28,000 students each year (PreK-12). Educational services are provided to an additional 1,000 students in adult education and other educational programs outside the public school district.

The district is comprised of 19 elementary schools, six middle schools, five high schools, two combined grade level schools (K-8 and K-12), three special purpose schools, one adult/technical education school, eleven charter schools and one virtual school.

Bay District Schools’ students score higher on the SAT than Florida and on par with the U.S.

*EBRW = Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

Some of the middle and high schools offer Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses which are designed to prepare students to be the most innovative and productive leaders in STEM fields. Through an engaging, hands-on curriculum, PLTW encourages the development of problem-solving skills, critical thinking and creative and innovative reasoning.

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