Tompkins Cortland Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Dryden, New York. It enrolls 1,469 students (a small, tight-knit 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.
Fair
46/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes9
Value44
Affordability25
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Tompkins Cortland 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 Tompkins Cortland 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 $12,723 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$12,723
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
17%
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)
$6,970
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,855
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,626
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,626
Books & Supplies
$1,442
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,642
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,642
Total Cost of Attendance
$20,222
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
$9,861
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,117
$48,001 – $75,000
$14,629
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,591
Over $110,000
$19,857
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.
$2,75010%percentile
$4,56025%percentile
$15,750Medianpercentile
$13,00075%percentile
$20,95490%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 $8,500
↓ $7,250
No Pell $7,750
↓ $8,000
Dependent students $6,500
↓ $9,250
Independent students $11,851
↓ $3,899
Female students $9,000
↓ $6,750
Male students $7,460
↓ $8,290
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,981, less than completers ($15,750), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
30% of full-time students who enrolled at Tompkins Cortland Community College graduate within six years, and 46% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
30%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
46%
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 Tompkins Cortland Community College earn a median of $40,707 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$40,707
Earning > $25K
65%
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
$31,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$38,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$31,600
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$35,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$38,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,600, about 20% 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 ↑
20.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 72% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Tompkins Cortland Community College is home to 1,469 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 40% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,469
Part-Time
36%
First-Generation
40%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 61.1%897
Hispanic 12.2%179
Black 8.7%127
Other 6.3%92
Asian 2.5%36
International 2.5%36
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Tompkins Cortland Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: DistantDryden, New York
Housing
Partly residential436 beds available
Adult Learners
13%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Tompkins Cortland Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
33 distinct programs across
21 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 Tompkins Cortland Community College is 12:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,434
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$21M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$73,650
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
47 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
28
60%
$81,024
Associate Professors
7
15%
$64,918
Assistant Professors
8
17%
$63,279
Instructors
4
9%
$58,054
Pros & Cons of Tompkins Cortland Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Tompkins Cortland 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
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Tompkins Cortland Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tompkins Cortland Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Tompkins Cortland Community College.
Is Tompkins Cortland Community College hard to get into?
Tompkins Cortland Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Tompkins Cortland Community College?
Tompkins Cortland Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Tompkins Cortland Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Tompkins Cortland Community College is $12,723 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Tompkins Cortland Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $40,707 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $12,723 per year. That's roughly 3.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Tompkins Cortland Community College known for?
Tompkins Cortland Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Tompkins Cortland Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Tompkins Cortland Community College are $40,707, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Tompkins Cortland Community College accredited?
Yes. Tompkins Cortland Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Tompkins Cortland Community College?
Tompkins Cortland Community College enrolls 1,469 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Tompkins Cortland Community College?
Tompkins Cortland Community College graduates 30% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Tompkins Cortland Community College a public or private college?
Tompkins Cortland Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Tompkins Cortland Community College located?
Tompkins Cortland Community College is located in Dryden, New York.
What programs does Tompkins Cortland Community College offer?
Tompkins Cortland Community College offers 33 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Tompkins Cortland Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Tompkins Cortland Community College is 12:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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