Mercer County Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in West Windsor, New Jersey. It enrolls 5,404 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
68/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes28
Value89
Affordability59
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Mercer County 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 Mercer County 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 $5,279 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$5,279
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
13%
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)
$5,310
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,174
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,600
Books & Supplies
$1,400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,950
Total Cost of Attendance
$12,545
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
$4,017
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,152
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,674
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,607
Over $110,000
$12,545
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.
$1,50010%percentile
$2,75025%percentile
$10,500Medianpercentile
$9,48075%percentile
$15,35590%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 $6,500
↓ $4,000
No Pell $7,500
↓ $3,000
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $5,000
Independent students $9,500
↓ $1,000
Female students $7,166
↓ $3,334
Male students $6,485
↓ $4,015
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,842, less than completers ($10,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
2% of full-time students who enrolled at Mercer County Community College graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
2%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
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 Mercer County Community College earn a median of $43,264 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,264
Earning > $25K
68%
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
$36,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$42,500
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$36,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$44,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,400, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Strong return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$8.2 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Mercer County Community College is home to 5,404 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 50% are first-generation college students, 62% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
5,404
Part-Time
62%
First-Generation
50%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 28.4%1,536
White 28.0%1,511
Black 20.7%1,121
International 8.1%440
Asian 5.7%306
Other 3.1%168
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Mercer County Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeWest Windsor, New Jersey
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
28%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Mercer County Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
35 distinct programs across
16 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 Mercer County Community College is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,157
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$14M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$76,726
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
106 instructional faculty across 3 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
58
55%
$86,579
Associate Professors
21
20%
$69,567
Assistant Professors
27
25%
$61,128
Pros & Cons of Mercer County Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Mercer County Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Mercer County Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mercer County Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Mercer County Community College.
Is Mercer County Community College hard to get into?
Mercer County Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Mercer County Community College?
Mercer County Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Mercer County Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Mercer County Community College is $5,279 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mercer County Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $43,264 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $5,279 per year. That's roughly 8.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Mercer County Community College known for?
Mercer County 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 Mercer County Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Mercer County Community College are $43,264, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Mercer County Community College accredited?
Yes. Mercer County Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Mercer County Community College?
Mercer County Community College enrolls 5,404 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Mercer County Community College?
Mercer County Community College graduates 2% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Mercer County Community College a public or private college?
Mercer County Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Mercer County Community College located?
Mercer County Community College is located in West Windsor, New Jersey.
What programs does Mercer County Community College offer?
Mercer County Community College offers 35 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Mercer County Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mercer County Community College is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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