Jefferson Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Watertown, New York. It enrolls 1,499 students (a small, tight-knit 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.
Fair
53/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes17
Value46
Affordability45
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 $11,923 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$11,923
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
34%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
22%
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)
$6,264
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,700
Room & Board (on-campus)
$14,308
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,720
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,300
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,300
Total Cost of Attendance
$19,286
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
$8,754
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,100
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,669
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,928
Over $110,000
$18,472
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.
$1,75010%percentile
$2,95025%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$11,19875%percentile
$17,50090%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 $5,500
↓ $6,500
Dependent students $6,245
↓ $5,755
Independent students $9,500
↓ $2,500
Female students $8,250
↓ $3,750
Male students $6,337
↓ $5,663
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
27% of full-time students who enrolled at Jefferson Community College graduate within six years, and 57% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
27%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
57%
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 Jefferson Community College earn a median of $39,991 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$39,991
Earning > $25K
64%
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
$31,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$33,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,300, about 28% 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 ↑
14.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 70% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Jefferson Community College is home to 1,499 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 44% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,499
Part-Time
26%
First-Generation
44%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 69.0%1,034
Hispanic 11.4%171
Black 7.5%113
Other 6.1%92
International 2.1%32
Asian 2.0%30
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Jefferson Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityWatertown, New York
Housing
Partly residential294 beds available
Adult Learners
25%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Jefferson Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
26 distinct programs across
14 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 Jefferson Community College is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,996
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$7.4M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$60,675
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
50 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
9
18%
$78,257
Associate Professors
14
28%
$65,018
Assistant Professors
18
36%
$56,532
Instructors
8
16%
$47,526
No Rank
1
2%
$21,416
Pros & Cons of Jefferson Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Jefferson 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
Tight-knit, close community feel
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Jefferson Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jefferson Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Jefferson Community College.
Is Jefferson Community College hard to get into?
Jefferson Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Jefferson Community College?
Jefferson Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Jefferson Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Jefferson Community College is $11,923 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Jefferson Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $39,991 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $11,923 per year. That's roughly 3.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Jefferson Community College known for?
Jefferson Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Jefferson Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Jefferson Community College are $39,991, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Jefferson Community College accredited?
Yes. Jefferson Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Jefferson Community College?
Jefferson Community College enrolls 1,499 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Jefferson Community College?
Jefferson Community College graduates 27% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Jefferson Community College a public or private college?
Jefferson Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Jefferson Community College located?
Jefferson Community College is located in Watertown, New York.
What programs does Jefferson Community College offer?
Jefferson Community College offers 26 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Jefferson Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Jefferson Community College is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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