Head-to-head comparison
Brookdale Community College vs Atlantic Cape Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Lincroft, NJ
Brookdale Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,231
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,379
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Mays Landing, NJ
Atlantic Cape Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,392
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,241
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Brookdale Community College comes closer — median earnings $44,379 against a $22,462 total, vs $34,241 at Atlantic Cape Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Brookdale Community College | Atlantic Cape Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,231 | $8,392 |
| Total net cost | $22,462 | $16,784 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,379 | $34,241 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$102,082 | -$299,164 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Brookdale Community College or Atlantic Cape Community College?
Atlantic Cape Community College, at $8,392 a year after aid versus $11,231 — a gap of $2,839 a year, or $5,678 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 Brookdale Community College or Atlantic Cape Community College graduates earn more?
Brookdale Community College graduates report a median $44,379 ten years after entry, $10,138 more than the $34,241 at Atlantic Cape 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, Brookdale Community College or Atlantic Cape Community College?
Atlantic Cape Community College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Brookdale 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?
30% of students finish at Atlantic Cape Community College, against 30% at Brookdale 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.