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Mercer County Community College

Public West Windsor, NJ · Rural · Mid-Atlantic · 87% data reported · Agent Insights · Claim Your School's Profile ➜
23%
Graduation Rate
$43,264
Earnings (10yr)
$5,279
Net Price
5,404
Enrollment
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About Mercer County Community College

Mercer County 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
5,404
Setting
Rural
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Business & Marketing, Culinary & Personal Services

Why students choose Mercer County Community College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 40% overall
C+
Earnings
$43,264 median
A
Value
8.2× net price
A
Affordability
$5,279/yr net
F
Graduation
23% graduate
D
Social Mobility
1.0% climb Q1→Q5
A
Diversity
0.79 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of about 5,400 students, Mercer County Community College serves those looking to jumpstart their education or refine their skills in practical fields. The college shines in areas like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Culinary Arts, making it a solid choice for students seeking hands-on learning and career-oriented programs. If you're someone who values a community atmosphere and a chance to explore diverse interests, this college could be a great fit.

Looking at life after graduation, the average earnings for Mercer graduates ten years out is $43,264. This gives a sense of the potential return on investment for students who complete their programs. It's important to consider how affordable the education here is, too. The net price after financial aid is around $5,279, which is relatively manageable. This means graduates can start their careers without a mountain of debt, as the median debt for students is about $10,500.

In terms of who thrives at Mercer, it's often those who appreciate a supportive environment and are focused on gaining practical skills for the job market. With 30% of students receiving Pell Grants, there's a commitment to making education accessible, especially for those from lower-income backgrounds. The combination of low net costs and a practical approach to education makes Mercer a pragmatic choice for many students ready to take charge of their futures.

Rankings

1

Can I Get In?

How selective Mercer 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.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Mercer County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in West Windsor, New Jersey, Mercer County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 23%.

Retention Rate 67%
Full-Time Faculty 100%
Faculty Salary (mo) $9,001
Student–Faculty Ratio 16:1
Diversity Index 0.79
First-Gen Students 50%
2

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 Mercer County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

When weighing the true cost of attending Mercer County Community College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $9,174 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $5,279 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,017 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $10,500.

$5,310
In-State Tuition
$9,174
Out-of-State
$5,279
Avg Net Price
$10,500
Median Debt
30%
Pell Grant Rate
13%
Federal Loan Rate

What Families Actually Pay

$4,017
Family Income $0–$30K
$4,152
Family Income $30K–$48K
$6,674
Family Income $48K–$75K
$12,545
Family Income $110K+
3

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Mercer County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Mercer County Community College report median earnings of $43,264; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.

$35,267
6 Years After Entry
$38,726
8 Years
$43,264
10 Years
0.24x
Debt-to-Earnings
49%
Earning > $25K

Earnings Trajectory

$35,267 6yr $38,726 8yr $43,264 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

10%
100% (91)
10%
100% (91)
10%
100% (91)
10%
100% (91)

How Mercer Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation23%Earnings 10yr$43KNet Price$5KRetention67%Median Debt$11KPell Grant Rate30%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$4K$0-30K$4K$30-48K$7K$48-75K$13K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%8.8%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%10.8%MOBILITY0.95%

College ROI Calculator

Is Mercer County Community College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Mercer County Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,279/year ($21,116 total). Graduates earn $43,264 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,119,106 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,097,990 (53.0× your investment). The median debt is $10,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 23% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

$21,116
Total Cost (4yr)
$1,119,106
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,097,990
Net Return
53.0×
ROI Multiple
$5,279
Cost Per Year
$10,500
Median Debt
Less than 1 yr
Debt Payback
23%
Graduation Rate
4

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 Mercer County Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Mercer County Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 0.95%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 8.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 10.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $80,400, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

0.95%
Mobility Rate
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
10.8%
Success Rate
If bottom 20% get in
8.8%
From Bottom 20%
Share of students
$80,400
Parent Median Income

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Mercer 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 below average at Mercer County Community College, with an economic connectedness score of 0.83 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias runs higher (0.33), suggesting students tend to form ties within their own economic group. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

0.83
Economic Connectedness
Cross-class friendships
0.33
Friending Bias
Lower = more inclusive
4.1%
Volunteering Rate
0.99
Support Ratio
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
Total Expenses
$5,008,252
Federal Grants
$-11,345
Investment Income

Top Programs

The fields Mercer County Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Mercer County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +

As a public institution in West Windsor, New Jersey, Mercer County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 23%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Mercer County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +

When weighing the true cost of attending Mercer County Community College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $9,174 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $5,279 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,017 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $10,500.

Is Mercer County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +

Ten years out, alumni of Mercer County Community College report median earnings of $43,264; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.

Does Mercer County Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +

Mercer County Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 0.95%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 8.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 10.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $80,400, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Mercer 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 below average at Mercer County Community College, with an economic connectedness score of 0.83 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias runs higher (0.33), suggesting students tend to form ties within their own economic group. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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