Dutchess Community College
- Graduation Rate
- 29% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $43,929 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $10,065 B
- 41% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 3,824
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.5 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $30.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,185,990.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduation of 29% — 48% below the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $30.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Dutchess Community College Matters
Dutchess Community College is a public community college in Poughkeepsie, NY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
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
- 3,824
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose Dutchess 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 $10,065 a year after grants and scholarships — 41% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $43,929 ten years after enrolling — 8% above the typical college, against $10,039 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 45% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.34 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of 3,824 students, Dutchess Community College serves as a solid choice for those seeking a more personalized college experience. It’s particularly appealing to individuals interested in hands-on fields like Health Professions, Criminal Justice, or Business & Marketing. The college's focus on community engagement and practical skills sets it apart for students who value a supportive environment and real-world preparation.
Looking at life after graduation, students from Dutchess can expect to earn an average of $43,929 within ten years of completing their studies. This figure highlights a pathway toward stable financial footing, particularly for those who build on their education with further studies or training. The affordability of attending Dutchess is enhanced by a net price of $10,065, making it accessible for many, although it’s important to note that about 22% of students receive Pell Grants to help cover costs.
When considering the practicalities, students typically graduate with a median debt of $10,039. This manageable debt level, combined with the college's affordability, can make it easier for graduates to thrive in their careers without being weighed down by financial burdens. Those who tend to do well here are often self-motivated and eager to take advantage of the college’s close-knit community and academic support.
Rankings
- #21 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in New York
- #22 Best Online Computer Science Programs in New York
- #26 Best Online Business Programs in New York
- #29 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in New York
- #29 Best Online Nursing Programs in New York
- #35 Best Communications Colleges in New York
- #41 Most Affordable Colleges in New York
Can I Get In?
How selective Dutchess 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 Dutchess Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Poughkeepsie, New York, Dutchess Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.
- Retention Rate
- 61%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 44%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $9,881
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 20:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.71
- First-Gen Students
- 42%
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 Dutchess Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Dutchess Community College is $10,670, 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 $10,065. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,141 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,039 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,670
- Out-of-State
- $10,670
- Avg Net Price
- $10,065
- Median Debt
- $10,039
- Pell Grant Rate
- 22%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 13%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,141
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $7,736
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $11,586
- Family Income $110K+
- $16,527
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 Dutchess 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 Dutchess Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Dutchess Community College report median earnings of $43,929, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $34,095
- 8 Years
- $40,645
- 10 Years
- $43,929
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.23x
- Earning > $25K
- 51%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (275)
- 19%
- 100% (275)
- 19%
- 100% (275)
- 19%
- 100% (275)
- 19%
How Dutchess 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 Dutchess Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Dutchess Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $10,065/year ($40,260 total). Graduates earn $43,929 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,226,250 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,185,990 (30.5× your investment). The median debt is $10,039, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 29% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $40,260
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,226,250
- Net Return
- $1,185,990
- ROI Multiple
- 30.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $10,065
- Median Debt
- $10,039
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 29%
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 Dutchess Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Dutchess 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 1.56%, well above the typical college. About 9.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 17% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $82,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.56%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 17.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 9.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $112,632
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $818,791
- Investment Income
- $68,287
Top Programs
The fields Dutchess 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.
- Humanities 32%
- Business & Marketing 17% $30,854 early-career
- Health Professions 9% $75,304 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 7%
- Criminal Justice 5% $35,271 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 5% $21,620 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 4%
- Communications 3% $32,002 early-career
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 Dutchess 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+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Dutchess Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Poughkeepsie, New York, Dutchess Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Dutchess Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Dutchess Community College is $10,670, 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 $10,065. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,141 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,039 in federal student loans.
Is Dutchess Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Dutchess Community College report median earnings of $43,929, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Dutchess Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Dutchess 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 1.56%, well above the typical college. About 9.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 17% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $82,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Dutchess 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 Dutchess Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.34, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Dutchess Community College.
- Community College of AuroraAurora, CO · Close peer31% grad $44,592 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Orange County Community CollegeMiddletown, NY · Close peer24% grad $44,117 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- College of AlamedaAlameda, CA · Close peer34% grad $42,563 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- College of MarinKentfield, CA · Close peer38% grad $42,654 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusSewell, NJ · Close peer36% grad $41,751 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Rockland Community CollegeSuffern, NY · Close peer29% grad $50,243 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · same state
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Dutchess 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 Dutchess Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.34, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note