Head-to-head comparison
Passaic County Community College vs Atlantic Cape Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Paterson, NJ
Passaic County Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,761
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,972
- 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 Passaic County Community College comes closer — median earnings $36,972 against a $15,522 total, vs $34,241 at Atlantic Cape Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Passaic County Community College | Atlantic Cape Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,761 | $8,392 |
| Total net cost | $15,522 | $16,784 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,972 | $34,241 |
| Median debt | $7,536 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$243,282 | -$299,164 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Passaic County Community College or Atlantic Cape Community College?
Passaic County Community College, at $7,761 a year after aid versus $8,392 — a gap of $631 a year, or $1,262 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 Passaic County Community College or Atlantic Cape Community College graduates earn more?
Passaic County Community College graduates report a median $36,972 ten years after entry, $2,731 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, Passaic County Community College or Atlantic Cape Community College?
Passaic County Community College: its completers carry a median $7,536 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Atlantic Cape Community College, a difference of $1,964. 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 19% at Passaic County 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.