Mercer County Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Mercer County Community College charges a net price of $5,279/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,558. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,264, 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, Mercer County Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #45 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) | $5,279/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,558 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,264 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,096/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$112,478 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Mercer County Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,279 × 2 years = $10,558 total. Median earnings $43,264 fall $5,096 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 $10,558 bill in about 1.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Mercer County Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $43,264 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Mercer County Community College students graduate?
25% finish their degree — 75% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,558 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $42,232 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Mercer County Community College expensive compared with other New Jersey colleges?
Its $5,279 net price runs $15,139 below the $20,418 median across the 78 New Jersey colleges we profile, and $30,277 less across the full degree.