Passaic County Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Paterson, New Jersey. It enrolls 4,260 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
63/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes21
Value64
Affordability74
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Passaic County 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 Passaic County 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 $7,761 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$7,761
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
61%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
11%
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)
$6,300
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,560
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,500
Books & Supplies
$1,600
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,026
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,754
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
$7,686
$30,001 – $48,000
$6,088
$48,001 – $75,000
$7,694
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,237
Over $110,000
$12,816
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.
$1,50010%percentile
$2,25025%percentile
$7,536Medianpercentile
$7,64475%percentile
$13,76890%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
↓ $2,036
No Pell $5,500
↓ $2,036
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $2,036
Independent students $7,527
—
Female students $5,500
↓ $2,036
Male students $5,500
↓ $2,036
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, close to what completers borrow ($7,536) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
14% of full-time students who enrolled at Passaic County Community College graduate within six years, and 63% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
14%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
63%
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 Passaic County Community College earn a median of $36,972 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,972
Earning > $25K
59%
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
$29,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$37,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,500, about 22% 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 ↑
17.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 71% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Passaic County Community College is home to 4,260 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 61% are first-generation college students, 62% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
4,260
Part-Time
62%
First-Generation
61%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 65.5%2,789
White 12.9%550
Black 11.1%474
Asian 4.8%204
Other 2.0%85
International 0.2%7
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Passaic County Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbPaterson, New Jersey
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
31%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Passaic County Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
36 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 Passaic County Community College is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,389
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$26,115
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$79,892
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
76 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
15
20%
$107,868
Associate Professors
22
29%
$84,641
Assistant Professors
28
37%
$74,812
Instructors
11
14%
$45,175
Pros & Cons of Passaic County Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Passaic County Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
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, Passaic County Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Passaic County Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Passaic County Community College.
Is Passaic County Community College hard to get into?
Passaic County Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Passaic County Community College?
Passaic County Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Passaic County Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Passaic County Community College is $7,761 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Passaic County Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $36,972 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $7,761 per year. That's roughly 4.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Passaic County Community College known for?
Passaic County Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Passaic County Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Passaic County Community College are $36,972, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Passaic County Community College accredited?
Yes. Passaic County Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Passaic County Community College?
Passaic County Community College enrolls 4,260 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Passaic County Community College?
Passaic County Community College graduates 14% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Passaic County Community College a public or private college?
Passaic County Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Passaic County Community College located?
Passaic County Community College is located in Paterson, New Jersey.
What programs does Passaic County Community College offer?
Passaic County Community College offers 36 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Passaic County Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Passaic County Community College is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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