Erie Community College
- Graduation Rate
- 28% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $41,228 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $7,765 A-
- 55% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 6,099
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 33.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $33.7 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $33.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,015,240.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 28% — 52% below the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $33.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.1%
- Top 96%
- Patents
- 12
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 34
- Downstream influence
About Erie Community College
Erie Community College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
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
- 6,099
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose Erie 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 $7,765 a year after grants and scholarships — 55% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $41,228 ten years after enrolling — 1% above the typical college, against $9,250 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 61% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.76 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of about 6,100 students, Erie Community College is a solid option for those looking to jumpstart their education or career without diving into a four-year commitment right away. The college excels in practical fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Mechanic & Repair Tech. If you're someone who values hands-on training and a supportive community, this could be a great fit for you.
Life after graduation shows promising outcomes for students. With a median earning of about $41,228 ten years after starting their journey, many graduates find stable careers that offer growth. The affordability of attending Erie Community College is also noteworthy, as the net price after financial aid is around $7,765. This means students can access education without a crippling financial burden, which is crucial for many.
In terms of financial implications, the median debt for graduates stands at $9,250, making it manageable compared to the potential earnings. The Pell Grant rate of 38% indicates that financial aid is available for many students, helping to ease costs. Those who thrive here tend to be driven individuals seeking practical skills and real-world applications, making the most of what the college has to offer.
Rankings
- #23 Best Online Education Programs in New York
- #28 Most Affordable Colleges in New York
- #29 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in New York
- #31 Best Online Computer Science Programs in New York
- #34 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in New York
- #39 Best Online Business Programs in New York
- #40 Best Online Nursing Programs in New York
Can I Get In?
How selective Erie 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 Erie Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Buffalo, New York, Erie Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 28%.
- Retention Rate
- 56%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 50%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,988
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 20:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.74
- First-Gen Students
- 38%
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 Erie Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Erie Community College is $11,300, 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 $7,765. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,730 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,250 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $6,100
- Out-of-State
- $11,300
- Avg Net Price
- $7,765
- Median Debt
- $9,250
- Pell Grant Rate
- 38%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 23%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,730
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $7,506
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $9,571
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,912
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 Erie 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 Erie Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Erie Community College report median earnings of $41,228, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $34,042
- 8 Years
- $38,405
- 10 Years
- $41,228
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.22x
- Earning > $25K
- 52%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (294)
- 16%
- 100% (294)
- 16%
- 100% (294)
- 16%
- 100% (294)
- 16%
How Erie 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 Erie Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Erie Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,765/year ($31,060 total). Graduates earn $41,228 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,046,300 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,015,240 (33.7× your investment). The median debt is $9,250, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 28% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $31,060
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,046,300
- Net Return
- $1,015,240
- ROI Multiple
- 33.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $7,765
- Median Debt
- $9,250
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 28%
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 Erie Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Erie 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 1.27%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 10.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $72,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.27%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 10.5%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 12.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $98,366
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Erie Community College produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 12 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.11%
- Top 96% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 12
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 34
- Downstream influence
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,973,652
- Investment Income
- $11,288
Top Programs
The fields Erie 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 18%
- Health Professions 14% $76,335 early-career
- Business & Marketing 11%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 9%
- Criminal Justice 9%
- Computer Science & IT 6%
- Social Sciences 5%
- Construction Trades 2%
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 Erie 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
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Erie Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Buffalo, New York, Erie Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 28%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Erie Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Erie Community College is $11,300, 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 $7,765. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,730 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,250 in federal student loans.
Is Erie Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Erie Community College report median earnings of $41,228, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Erie Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Erie 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 1.27%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 10.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $72,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Erie Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Erie Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.76, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias runs higher (0.27), suggesting students tend to form ties within their own economic group. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Erie Community College.
- South Plains CollegeLevelland, TX · Close peer27% grad $41,276 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Volunteer State Community CollegeGallatin, TN · Close peer26% grad $41,150 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Jefferson State Community CollegeBirmingham, AL · Close peer24% grad $40,719 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Contra Costa CollegeSan Pablo, CA · Close peer30% grad $40,850 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Southern Maine Community CollegeSouth Portland, ME · Close peer24% grad $41,661 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Camden County CollegeBlackwood, NJ · Close peer32% grad $41,212 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Erie Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Erie Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.76, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias runs higher (0.27), suggesting students tend to form ties within their own economic group. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note