Ulster County Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Ulster County Community College charges a net price of $5,035/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,070. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,896, 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, Ulster County Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #127 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,035/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,070 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,896 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,464/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$139,350 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Ulster County Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,035 × 2 years = $10,070 total. Median earnings $41,896 fall $6,464 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 $10,070 bill in about 1.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Ulster County Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,000 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $41,896 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Ulster County Community College students graduate?
34% finish their degree — 66% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,070 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $29,618 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Ulster County Community College expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $5,035 net price runs $13,878 below the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, and $27,756 less across the full degree.