Back to Colleges
Essex County College
Newark, NJ 5,855 Undergrads 22.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$12,506
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,436
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,042
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$4,436
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$48,042
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate22.3%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients56.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time51.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS50.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$513k
-$2k
+$29k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$505k
-$11k
+$21k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$490k
-$25k
+$6k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
40
253%
Full Cost$13k/yr
54
25%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return168%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return8%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services
CertCIP: 5135
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $29,652
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,282
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,635
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,661
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,961
Natl Median: $44,758
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,863
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Chemistry
AssocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,597
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,195
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,758
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
AssocCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,621
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
AssocCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,634
Natl Median: $72,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Finance and Financial Management Services
AssocCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,913
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,180
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
AssocCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,812
Natl Median: $51,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,177
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Mathematics
AssocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5118
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,134
Natl Median: $48,724
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,634
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$547k
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,106
Natl Median: $43,146
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,064
Natl Median: $39,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,715
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
AssocCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.