Bucks County Community College
#2 Most Affordable Colleges in Pennsylvania- Graduation Rate
- 30% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $47,324 B-
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $6,389 A-
- 63% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 5,289
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 46.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $46.3 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Most Affordable Colleges in Pennsylvania.
Every $1 spent returns $46.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,158,686.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
-
Graduation of 30% — 47% below the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $46.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.1%
- Top 93%
- Patents
- 39
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 56
- Downstream influence
Why Bucks County Community College Matters
Bucks County Community College is a public community college in Newtown, PA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 5,289
- Setting
- Rural
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Psychology
Why students choose Bucks County Community College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $6,389 a year after grants and scholarships — 63% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $47,324 ten years after enrolling — 16% above the typical college, against $12,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.2% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 64% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.17 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Bucks County Community College is a solid choice for students looking to dive into practical fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Psychology, and Education. With around 5,300 students, it creates a community that’s big enough to offer variety but small enough to feel personal. Here, you can expect a supportive environment where you can explore your interests and build your skills in areas that are in demand.
Looking at life after graduation, students find that the average earnings ten years after completing their degree is $47,324. This figure is a good indicator that many graduates are able to secure jobs that help them get ahead. The affordability of attending Bucks is also appealing, with a net price of just $6,389 after financial aid, making it accessible for many.
When it comes to financials, the median debt for students who take on loans is $12,000, which isn't overwhelming compared to many four-year institutions. This manageable debt load, combined with strong support for those who are eligible for Pell Grants, means that students who thrive here often come from diverse backgrounds and are focused on building a career without being weighed down by excessive financial stress.
Rankings
- #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #6 Best Online Education Programs in Pennsylvania
- #6 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Pennsylvania
- #7 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Pennsylvania
- #7 Best Online Business Programs in Pennsylvania
- #8 Best Online Nursing Programs in Pennsylvania
- #16 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #18 Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania
Can I Get In?
How selective Bucks County Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Bucks County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Bucks County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 30%.
- Retention Rate
- 75%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 24%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,597
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.54
- First-Gen Students
- 47%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bucks County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Bucks County Community College is $13,963, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,389. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,725 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,683
- Out-of-State
- $13,963
- Avg Net Price
- $6,389
- Median Debt
- $12,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 24%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 10%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $3,725
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $4,534
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $6,371
- Family Income $110K+
- $11,581
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Bucks County Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Bucks County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Bucks County Community College earn a median of $47,324, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $39,454
- 8 Years
- $43,856
- 10 Years
- $47,324
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.25x
- Earning > $25K
- 58%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (143)
- 15%
- 100% (143)
- 15%
- 100% (143)
- 15%
- 100% (143)
- 15%
How Bucks Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Bucks County Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Bucks County Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,389/year ($25,556 total). Graduates earn $47,324 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,184,242 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,158,686 (46.3× your investment). The median debt is $12,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 30% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $25,556
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,184,242
- Net Return
- $1,158,686
- ROI Multiple
- 46.3×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,389
- Median Debt
- $12,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 30%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Bucks County Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Bucks County Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.22%, well above the typical college. About 6.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $87,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.22%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 18.5%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 6.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $118,203
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Bucks County Community College produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 39 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.12%
- Top 93% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 39
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 56
- Downstream influence
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $9,723,822
- Investment Income
- $802
Top Programs
The fields Bucks County Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 22% $74,356 early-career
- Business & Marketing 22% $38,863 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 8%
- Psychology 7% $21,491 early-career
- Education 6% $24,296 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 5%
- Criminal Justice 5% $45,495 early-career
- Humanities 3%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Bucks County Community College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Bucks County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Bucks County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 30%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bucks County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Bucks County Community College is $13,963, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,389. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,725 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,000 in federal student loans.
Is Bucks County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Bucks County Community College earn a median of $47,324, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Bucks County Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Bucks County Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.22%, well above the typical college. About 6.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $87,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Bucks County Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Bucks County Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.17, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.05). Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Bucks County Community College.
- Raritan Valley Community CollegeBranchburg, NJ · Close peer33% grad $48,145 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- North Central Texas CollegeGainesville, TX · Close peer35% grad $45,809 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Gavilan CollegeGilroy, CA · Close peer43% grad $47,169 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Delaware County Community CollegeMedia, PA · Close peer22% grad $45,391 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Rowan College at Burlington CountyMount Laurel, NJ · Close peer37% grad $44,745 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- County College of MorrisRandolph, NJ · Close peer35% grad $50,243 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Bucks County Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Bucks County Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.17, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.05). Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note