Atlantic Cape Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Atlantic Cape Community College charges a net price of $8,392/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $16,784. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,241, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Atlantic Cape Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #61 of 78 New Jersey colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,392/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $16,784 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,241 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$14,119/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$299,164 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Atlantic Cape Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,392 × 2 years = $16,784 total. Median earnings $34,241 fall $14,119 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $16,784 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Atlantic Cape Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $34,241 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Atlantic Cape Community College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $16,784 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $55,947 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Atlantic Cape Community College expensive compared with other New Jersey colleges?
Its $8,392 net price runs $12,026 below the $20,418 median across the 78 New Jersey colleges we profile, and $24,051 less across the full degree.