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The College of the Florida Keys vs Waubonsee 2026

Who is it for? The College of the Florida Keys may fit applicants seeking a smaller scholarship pool with higher average and maximum award amounts in the available data. Waubonsee Community College may suit applicants who want a much larger number of listed grant opportunities and a somewhat higher share of need-based awards.

University vs University

Institution A

Florida

The College of the Florida Keys

Institution B

Illinois

Waubonsee Community College

Quick comparison

Scholarships in catalog

The College of the Florida Keys

33

Waubonsee Community College

156

Avg. award (where known)

The College of the Florida Keys

$1,266

Waubonsee Community College

$953

Max award (index signal)

The College of the Florida Keys

$4,000

Waubonsee Community College

$3,500

Open deadlines share

The College of the Florida Keys

3%

Waubonsee Community College

0%

Merit vs need (approx.)

The College of the Florida Keys

Merit 72.7% / Need 27.3%

Waubonsee Community College

Merit 61.5% / Need 38.5%

Public reference data

College cost & outcomes

Official-style college facts matched by school name and state. These figures are separate from ScholarshipTop scholarship totals in the comparison table above.

Visual comparison

Research activity comparison

Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.

City rent and wage comparison

Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.

The College of the Florida Keys

In-state tuition

$3,276

Annual, before aid

Out-of-state tuition

$13,162

Annual, before aid

Completion rate

34.1%

Median earnings

$42,508

10 years after entry

Enrollment

1,012

Undergraduate headcount

City rent and wage context

Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.

Key West, FL | Key West, FL

Latest rent estimate

$3,452

2026-04

12-mo rent change

+0.6%

Zillow ZORI

HUD 1BR FMR

$1,238

Planning estimate

HUD 2BR FMR

$1,459

Planning estimate

  • Public metro rent estimates are available for relocation and cost-of-attendance planning; local lease costs can vary within the metro area.

Waubonsee Community College

In-state tuition

$3,504

Annual, before aid

Out-of-state tuition

$10,477

Annual, before aid

Median earnings

$44,788

10 years after entry

Enrollment

5,721

Undergraduate headcount

Research and institution context

Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.

Works count

264

Citation count

354

ROR identity

03dfsfy59

OpenAlex identity

I2799804793

Public research indicators are available from OpenAlex.

City rent and wage context

Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.

Sugar Grove, IL

HUD 1BR FMR

$794

Planning estimate

HUD 2BR FMR

$1,002

Planning estimate

  • HUD fair-market rent estimates are available as planning context; use them alongside school cost and scholarship amount.

Sources: College Scorecard, OpenAlex, and ROR where matched. Figures may lag the current academic year; verify on the institution site.

Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.

Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.

Scholarship comparison overview

The College of the Florida Keys lists 33 grants, with 28 currently open, while Waubonsee Community College lists 156 grants, all 156 open. In the available data, The College of the Florida Keys shows a higher average award amount of $1,266 versus $953.39 at Waubonsee Community College, and a higher maximum award of $4,000 versus $3,500.

On aid mix, The College of the Florida Keys shows 27.3% need-based and 72.7% merit-based awards, while Waubonsee Community College shows 38.5% need-based and 61.5% merit-based awards. That suggests Waubonsee leans somewhat more toward need-based scholarship distribution, while The College of the Florida Keys leans more heavily toward merit-based awards.

For essay expectations, both schools have 0 essay grants explicitly counted in the structured data, but scholarship-title evidence indicates many awards may still involve essay guidance or essay-related application components. Applicants should verify current requirements directly through each college and complete the FAFSA to maximize eligibility for institutional and federal aid.

Writing efforts

The College of the Florida Keys

The College of the Florida Keys has 0 essay grants in the structured data, but the linked scholarship-title themes suggest recurring essay-related topics tied to nursing, marine science, STEM, law enforcement, foundation scholarships, memorial scholarships, and need-based opportunities. Writing effort may be more targeted to program-specific and named scholarships rather than reflected in the structured essay count.

Waubonsee Community College

Waubonsee Community College also has 0 essay grants in the structured data, but the linked scholarship-title themes point to a broad set of named and memorial scholarships, plus nursing, banking, community, foundation, and lifelong learning themes. Writing effort may involve adapting essays across many scholarship opportunities because the institution lists a much larger grant inventory.

Top grants by university

Largest active university-linked grants first. Each side shows the top three opportunities currently indexed for that school.

NEW

B. Knight Rotary Club of Key West Vocational Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $4,000 and a 06.01.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

06.01.26

deadline passed

$4,000

Award Amount

EducationFew RequirementsUndergraduateCommunity CollegeTrade SchoolGPA 2.5+FLFlorida

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Family Nursing Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $3,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

05.04.26

deadline passed

$3,500

Award Amount

MedicineFew RequirementsFinancial NeedUndergraduateCommunity CollegeGPA 2.0+

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Look-Alike Society Kermit "Shine" Forbes Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $2,500 and a 04.13.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

04.13.26

deadline passed

$2,500

Award Amount

EducationFew RequirementsHigh School SeniorHigh SchoolUndergraduateGPA 2.0+FLFlorida

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Annual Scholarship

Business Management and Marketing students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $2,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Business Management and Marketing students

05.04.26

deadline passed

$2,500

Award Amount

EducationFew RequirementsHigh School SeniorHigh SchoolUndergraduateCommunity CollegeGPA 2.0+ILINIllinoisIndiana

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Look-Alike Society Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $2,500 and a 04.13.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

04.13.26

deadline passed

$2,500

Award Amount

STEMMedicineLawSafetyFew RequirementsVeteransUndergraduateCommunity CollegeGPA 2.0+FLFlorida

View all scholarships from this university →

NEW

Community College Faculty Council Awards Endowed Academic Scholarship

Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $2,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.

Best for: Education students

05.04.26

deadline passed

$2,500

Award Amount

EducationFew RequirementsFinancial NeedUndergraduateCommunity CollegeGPA 3.0+

View all scholarships from this university →

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FAQ

Which school has more scholarship opportunities listed?
Waubonsee Community College lists 156 grants, compared with 33 at The College of the Florida Keys.
Which school shows higher average scholarship amounts?
The College of the Florida Keys shows the higher average award amount in the provided data: $1,266 versus $953.39 at Waubonsee Community College.
Which school appears more need-based in its scholarship mix?
Waubonsee Community College shows 38.5% need-based awards, compared with 27.3% at The College of the Florida Keys.
Do these schools require essays for scholarships?
The structured data shows 0 essay grants for both institutions. However, scholarship-title evidence suggests many awards may still include essay guidance or essay-related application components, so applicants should confirm current requirements directly.
What should I do before comparing institutional scholarships?
Start with the FAFSA through Federal Student Aid, then review each college in College Scorecard or NCES College Navigator to compare costs, aid context, and institutional details.

Sources and official pages

Official university and high-authority pages used to support this comparison.

Internal reading paths for students comparing The College of the Florida Keys and Waubonsee Community College, with extra scholarship context and essay-writing support.