Bergen Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Paramus, New Jersey. It enrolls 10,557 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
59/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes24
Value62
Affordability49
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Bergen Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Bergen Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $10,345 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$10,345
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
35%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
19%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,913
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,294
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,374
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,814
Total Cost of Attendance
$17,184
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$8,532
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,768
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,964
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,927
Over $110,000
$16,919
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,01410%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$12,00075%percentile
$18,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $8,250
↓ $3,750
No Pell $8,250
↓ $3,750
Dependent students $6,500
↓ $5,500
Independent students $9,500
↓ $2,500
Female students $8,750
↓ $3,250
Male students $6,500
↓ $5,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,125, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
30% of full-time students who enrolled at Bergen Community College graduate within six years, and 64% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
30%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
64%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Bergen Community College earn a median of $46,624 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,624
Earning > $25K
70%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$40,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$45,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$41,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$43,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$46,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $5,700, about 12% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
20.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 82% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Bergen Community College is home to 10,557 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 49% are first-generation college students, 46% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
10,557
Part-Time
46%
First-Generation
49%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 45.1%4,765
White 24.2%2,559
Asian 8.5%896
Black 7.4%778
International 6.0%630
Other 2.1%224
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bergen Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbParamus, New Jersey
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
26%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Bergen Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
28 distinct programs across
12 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bergen Community College is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,498
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$12M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$78,462
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
210 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
62
30%
$94,567
Associate Professors
46
22%
$79,884
Assistant Professors
59
28%
$66,876
Instructors
18
9%
$57,326
Lecturers
25
12%
—
Pros & Cons of Bergen Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Bergen Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, Bergen Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bergen Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Bergen Community College.
Is Bergen Community College hard to get into?
Bergen Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Bergen Community College?
Bergen Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Bergen Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Bergen Community College is $10,345 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bergen Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $46,624 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,345 per year. That's roughly 4.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bergen Community College known for?
Bergen Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Bergen Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Bergen Community College are $46,624, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Bergen Community College accredited?
Yes. Bergen Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Bergen Community College?
Bergen Community College enrolls 10,557 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Bergen Community College?
Bergen Community College graduates 30% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Bergen Community College a public or private college?
Bergen Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Bergen Community College located?
Bergen Community College is located in Paramus, New Jersey.
What programs does Bergen Community College offer?
Bergen Community College offers 28 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bergen Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bergen Community College is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in New Jersey
Other colleges in New Jersey share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Liberal Arts
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