Northampton County Area Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 7,667 students (a large 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
57/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes26
Value47
Affordability51
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Northampton County Area 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 Northampton County Area 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 $12,119 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$12,119
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
40%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
28%
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)
$5,550
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$15,270
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,770
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,068
Books & Supplies
$1,800
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$7,308
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$8,282
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,119
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
$8,986
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,102
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,016
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,912
Over $110,000
$17,697
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.
$2,50010%percentile
$4,38625%percentile
$15,495Medianpercentile
$12,50075%percentile
$20,00090%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 $9,500
↓ $5,995
No Pell $8,229
↓ $7,266
Dependent students $8,250
↓ $7,245
Independent students $11,102
↓ $4,393
Female students $9,500
↓ $5,995
Male students $8,250
↓ $7,245
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($15,495), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
23% of full-time students who enrolled at Northampton County Area Community College graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
23%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
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 Northampton County Area Community College earn a median of $41,566 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,566
Earning > $25K
68%
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
$32,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$42,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$33,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$36,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,500, about 24% 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 ↑
19.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Northampton County Area Community College is home to 7,667 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 48% are first-generation college students, 59% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
7,667
Part-Time
59%
First-Generation
48%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 40.0%3,065
Hispanic 30.1%2,310
Black 12.1%925
Other 4.2%318
Asian 2.6%201
International 0.7%56
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Northampton County Area Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbBethlehem, Pennsylvania
Housing
Limited on-campus housing575 beds
Adult Learners
33%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Northampton County Area Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
63 distinct programs across
25 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 Northampton County Area Community College is 19:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,458
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$78M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$70,065
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
111 instructional faculty across 4 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
49
44%
$78,625
Associate Professors
18
16%
$66,626
Assistant Professors
41
37%
$61,675
Instructors
3
3%
$51,552
Pros & Cons of Northampton County Area Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Northampton County Area 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
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Northampton County Area Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Northampton County Area Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Northampton County Area Community College.
Is Northampton County Area Community College hard to get into?
Northampton County Area Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Northampton County Area Community College?
Northampton County Area Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Northampton County Area Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Northampton County Area Community College is $12,119 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Northampton County Area Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,566 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $12,119 per year. That's roughly 3.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Northampton County Area Community College known for?
Northampton County Area Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Northampton County Area Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Northampton County Area Community College are $41,566, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Northampton County Area Community College accredited?
Yes. Northampton County Area Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Northampton County Area Community College?
Northampton County Area Community College enrolls 7,667 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Northampton County Area Community College?
Northampton County Area Community College graduates 23% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Northampton County Area Community College a public or private college?
Northampton County Area Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Northampton County Area Community College located?
Northampton County Area Community College is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
What programs does Northampton County Area Community College offer?
Northampton County Area Community College offers 63 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Northampton County Area Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Northampton County Area Community College is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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