Raritan Valley Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Raritan Valley Community College charges a net price of $6,778/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $13,556. Median earnings ten years after entry are $48,145, 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, Raritan Valley Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #35 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) | $6,778/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $13,556 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $48,145 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$215/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$17,856 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Raritan Valley Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,778 × 2 years = $13,556 total. Median earnings $48,145 fall $215 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 $13,556 bill in about 1.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Raritan Valley Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $48,145 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Raritan Valley Community College students graduate?
31% finish their degree — 69% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,556 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $43,729 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Raritan Valley Community College expensive compared with other New Jersey colleges?
Its $6,778 net price runs $13,640 below the $20,418 median across the 78 New Jersey colleges we profile, and $27,279 less across the full degree.