Head-to-head comparison
Bergen Community College vs Salem Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Paramus, NJ
Bergen Community College
- Net price / year
- $10,345
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,624
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Carneys Point, NJ
Salem Community College
- Net price / year
- $10,816
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,020
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bergen Community College comes closer — median earnings $46,624 against a $20,690 total, vs $38,020 at Salem Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bergen Community College | Salem Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,345 | $10,816 |
| Total net cost | $20,690 | $21,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,624 | $38,020 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$55,410 | -$228,432 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bergen Community College or Salem Community College?
Bergen Community College, at $10,345 a year after aid versus $10,816 — a gap of $471 a year, or $942 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Bergen Community College or Salem Community College graduates earn more?
Bergen Community College graduates report a median $46,624 ten years after entry, $8,604 more than the $38,020 at Salem Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Bergen Community College or Salem Community College?
Salem Community College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Bergen Community College, a difference of $2,500. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
40% of students finish at Salem Community College, against 21% at Bergen Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.