Skip to content
CollegeRanker
Sussex County Community College logo
Public Newton, NJ · Rural · Mid-Atlantic · 87% data
A- Value B+ Affordability C+ Earnings
Graduation Rate
40% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$44,664 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$7,859 B+
54% less than the typical college
Enrollment
2,086
Earnings +10% vs avg
Graduation -30% vs avg
Net Price +-54% vs avg
Mobility Top 66%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 36.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $36.0 over 20 years. Ranked #8 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in New Jersey.

36.0× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $36.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,099,593.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 40% — 30% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $36.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Sussex County Community College Matters

Sussex County Community College is a public community college in Newton, NJ 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
2,086
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice, Health Professions

Why students choose Sussex County Community College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 42% overall
C+
Earnings
$44,664 median
A-
Value
5.7× net price
B+
Affordability
$7,859/yr net
D
Graduation
40% graduate
D+
Social Mobility
1.2% climb Q1→Q5
C
Diversity
0.57 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Sussex County Community College serves around 2,086 students, making it an appealing choice for those seeking a close-knit learning environment. It’s particularly a good fit for individuals interested in practical pathways in fields like Humanities, Business & Marketing, Visual & Performing Arts, Criminal Justice, and Health Professions. With a focus on hands-on learning and community engagement, students here can expect to develop skills that are directly applicable in the workforce.

After graduation, students can anticipate earnings that average around $44,664 within ten years. That’s a decent starting point for many, especially considering the affordability of this college. The net price after financial aid sits at $7,859, and 37% of students receive Pell Grants, making it accessible for those who might need extra support. While the graduation rate is 40%, many graduates find that the skills they gain help them make strides in their careers, ensuring upward mobility in their professional lives.

When it comes to financial considerations, students typically graduate with a median debt of $11,000. This manageable debt level can set the stage for a more stable financial future. Those who thrive here often have a clear sense of their career goals, are willing to engage with the community, and take advantage of the programs offered. For many, Sussex County Community College is a stepping stone to further education or a successful career in their chosen field.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Sussex 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 Sussex County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Newton, New Jersey, Sussex County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 40%.

Retention Rate
58%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,647
Student–Faculty Ratio
17:1
Diversity Index
0.57
First-Gen Students
43%

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 Sussex County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Sussex County Community College is $9,024, 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 $7,859. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,955 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$5,544
Out-of-State
$9,024
Avg Net Price
$7,859
Median Debt
$11,000
Pell Grant Rate
37%
Federal Loan Rate
16%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$5,955
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,781
Family Income $48K–$75K
$8,232
Family Income $110K+
$13,931

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 Sussex 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.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

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

Ten years out, alumni of Sussex County Community College report median earnings of $44,664, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$36,934
8 Years
$42,424
10 Years
$44,664
Debt-to-Earnings
0.25x
Earning > $25K
50%

Earnings Trajectory

$36,934 6yr $42,424 8yr $44,664 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (64)
21%
100% (64)
21%
100% (64)
21%
100% (64)
21%

How Sussex Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation40%Earnings 10yr$45KNet Price$8KRetention58%Median Debt$11KPell Grant Rate37%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$6K$0-30K$8K$30-48K$8K$48-75K$14K$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%6.9%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%17.0%MOBILITY1.18%

College ROI Calculator

Is Sussex County Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Sussex County Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,859/year ($31,436 total). Graduates earn $44,664 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,131,029 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,099,593 (36.0× your investment). The median debt is $11,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 40% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$31,436
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,131,029
Net Return
$1,099,593
ROI Multiple
36.0×
Cost Per Year
$7,859
Median Debt
$11,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
40%

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

Sussex 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 1.18%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 6.9% 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 $84,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.18%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
17.0%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
6.9%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$115,349
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Sussex 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 Sussex County Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.55, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.55
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.4%
Support Ratio
0.99
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
$3,064,750
Federal Grants
$2,430,602
Investment Income
$-589,572

Top Programs

The fields Sussex 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based in Newton, New Jersey, Sussex County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 40%.

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

Published tuition at Sussex County Community College is $9,024, 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 $7,859. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,955 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.

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

Ten years out, alumni of Sussex County Community College report median earnings of $44,664, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

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

Sussex 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 1.18%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 6.9% 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 $84,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Sussex 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 Sussex County Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.55, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Sussex County Community College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys