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Ulster County Community College

#5 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in New York
Public Stone Ridge, NY · Rural · Mid-Atlantic · 87% data
A Value A Affordability B Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
32% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$41,896 C
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$5,035 A
71% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,341
Earnings +3% vs avg
Graduation -43% vs avg
Net Price +-71% vs avg
Mobility Top 20%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 55.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $55.8 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in New York.

55.8× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $55.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,104,246.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduation of 32% — 43% below the national average.

  3. Social mobility rate of 2.33% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $55.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Ulster County Community College Matters

Ulster County Community College is a public community college in Stone Ridge, NY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.

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
1,341
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT

Why students choose Ulster County Community College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

B-
Top 32% overall
C
Earnings
$41,896 median
A
Value
8.3× net price
A
Affordability
$5,035/yr net
F
Graduation
32% graduate
B
Social Mobility
2.3% climb Q1→Q5
B-
Diversity
0.66 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 1,341 students, Ulster County Community College is a solid choice for those looking to start their higher education journey or change career paths. This school is particularly suited for students interested in practical fields like Humanities, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, and Computer Science & IT. It offers an intimate setting where students can receive personalized attention and support as they navigate their studies.

Looking at life after graduation, it's encouraging to see that graduates earn a median salary of $41,896 ten years after completing their degree. This figure suggests that the education and training received here can lead to a decent standard of living. The school also maintains a net price of $5,035, making it more accessible for many students, especially those who may be concerned about affordability.

When it comes to finances, the median debt for graduates is $10,000, which is relatively manageable compared to many four-year institutions. With a Pell Grant rate of 16%, it’s clear that some students are benefiting from financial aid, helping to ease the burden of costs. Those who thrive at Ulster County Community College often appreciate a close-knit community and are motivated to take advantage of the diverse programs available to them.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

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

Based in Stone Ridge, New York, Ulster County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 32%.

Retention Rate
59%
Full-Time Faculty
58%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,553
Student–Faculty Ratio
21:1
Diversity Index
0.66
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 Ulster County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Ulster County Community College is $12,146, 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 $5,035. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,754 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$6,666
Out-of-State
$12,146
Avg Net Price
$5,035
Median Debt
$10,000
Pell Grant Rate
16%
Federal Loan Rate
5%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$2,754
Family Income $30K–$48K
$3,770
Family Income $48K–$75K
$7,771
Family Income $110K+
$14,725

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 Ulster 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 Ulster County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Ulster County Community College report median earnings of $41,896, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$33,337
8 Years
$38,569
10 Years
$41,896
Debt-to-Earnings
0.24x
Earning > $25K
50%

Earnings Trajectory

$33,337 6yr $38,569 8yr $41,896 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (85)
20%
100% (85)
20%
100% (85)
20%
100% (85)
20%

How Ulster Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation32%Earnings 10yr$42KNet Price$5KRetention59%Median Debt$10KPell Grant Rate16%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$3K$0-30K$4K$30-48K$8K$48-75K$15K$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%15.5%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%15.0%MOBILITY2.33%

College ROI Calculator

Is Ulster County Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Ulster County Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,035/year ($20,140 total). Graduates earn $41,896 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,124,386 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,104,246 (55.8× your investment). The median debt is $10,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 32% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$20,140
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,124,386
Net Return
$1,104,246
ROI Multiple
55.8×
Cost Per Year
$5,035
Median Debt
$10,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
32%

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

Ulster 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 2.33%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 15.5% 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 15% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.33%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
15.0%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
15.5%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$90,078
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Ulster 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 Ulster County Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.19, 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 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.19
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.9%
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
$6,633,591
Federal Grants
$1,677,087

Top Programs

The fields Ulster 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 Ulster County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Stone Ridge, New York, Ulster County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 32%.

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

Published tuition at Ulster County Community College is $12,146, 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 $5,035. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,754 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,000 in federal student loans.

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

Ten years out, alumni of Ulster County Community College report median earnings of $41,896, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

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

Ulster 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 2.33%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 15.5% 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 15% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Ulster 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 Ulster County Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.19, 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 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Ulster 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