Dutchess Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Poughkeepsie, New York. It enrolls 3,824 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
56/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes22
Value60
Affordability35
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Dutchess Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Dutchess Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $10,065 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$10,065
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
22%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
13%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,670
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,670
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,786
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,843
Books & Supplies
$1,450
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,566
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,566
Total Cost of Attendance
$17,159
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$6,141
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,736
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,586
$75,001 – $110,000
$14,886
Over $110,000
$16,527
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,00025%percentile
$10,039Medianpercentile
$10,50075%percentile
$15,99990%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $5,500
↓ $4,539
No Pell $5,500
↓ $4,539
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,539
Independent students $9,500
↓ $539
Female students $6,125
↓ $3,914
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,539
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,039), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
25% of full-time students who enrolled at Dutchess Community College graduate within six years, and 60% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
25%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
60%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Dutchess Community College earn a median of $43,929 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,929
Earning > $25K
69%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$34,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$40,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$33,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$40,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,200, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
18.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 67% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Dutchess Community College is home to 3,824 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 42% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
3,824
Part-Time
35%
First-Generation
42%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 41.4%1,583
Hispanic 29.5%1,127
Black 16.0%611
Other 5.1%195
Asian 2.6%100
International 1.6%60
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Dutchess Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbPoughkeepsie, New York
Housing
Limited on-campus housing465 beds
Adult Learners
15%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Dutchess Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
32 distinct programs across
16 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Dutchess Community College is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,060
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$15M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$85,923
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
105 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
31
30%
$104,851
Associate Professors
24
23%
$85,480
Assistant Professors
30
29%
$79,103
Instructors
17
16%
$67,539
Lecturers
3
3%
$66,241
Pros & Cons of Dutchess Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Dutchess Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Dutchess Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dutchess Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Dutchess Community College.
Is Dutchess Community College hard to get into?
Dutchess Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Dutchess Community College?
Dutchess Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Dutchess Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Dutchess Community College is $10,065 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Dutchess Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $43,929 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,065 per year. That's roughly 4.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Dutchess Community College known for?
Dutchess Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Human. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Dutchess Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Dutchess Community College are $43,929, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Dutchess Community College accredited?
Yes. Dutchess Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Dutchess Community College?
Dutchess Community College enrolls 3,824 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Dutchess Community College?
Dutchess Community College graduates 25% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Dutchess Community College a public or private college?
Dutchess Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Dutchess Community College located?
Dutchess Community College is located in Poughkeepsie, New York.
What programs does Dutchess Community College offer?
Dutchess Community College offers 32 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Human.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Dutchess Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Dutchess Community College is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Liberal Arts
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