Bergen Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Bergen Community College charges a net price of $10,345/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $20,690. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,624, 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, Bergen Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #37 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) | $10,345/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $20,690 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,624 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,736/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$55,410 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Bergen Community College's own numbers. Net price $10,345 × 2 years = $20,690 total. Median earnings $46,624 fall $1,736 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 $20,690 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Bergen Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $46,624 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Bergen Community College students graduate?
21% finish their degree — 79% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,690 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $98,524 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Bergen Community College expensive compared with other New Jersey colleges?
Its $10,345 net price runs $10,073 below the $20,418 median across the 78 New Jersey colleges we profile, and $20,145 less across the full degree.