Salem Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Salem Community College charges a net price of $10,816/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $21,632. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,020, 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, Salem Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #55 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) | $10,816/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $21,632 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,020 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,340/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$228,432 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Salem Community College's own numbers. Net price $10,816 × 2 years = $21,632 total. Median earnings $38,020 fall $10,340 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 $21,632 bill in about 2.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Salem Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $38,020 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Salem Community College students graduate?
40% finish their degree — 60% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $21,632 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $54,080 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Salem Community College expensive compared with other New Jersey colleges?
Its $10,816 net price runs $9,602 below the $20,418 median across the 78 New Jersey colleges we profile, and $19,203 less across the full degree.