Essex County College vs. PCCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Essex County College in Newark, NJ with Passaic County Community College in Paterson, NJ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Essex County College is larger than PCCC based on total student enrollment (7,026 students vs. 4,782 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Essex County College is located in Newark, NJ (Large City setting); Passaic County Community College is in Paterson, NJ (Large Suburban setting).
• Essex County College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Passaic County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Essex County College 26:1; Passaic County Community College 14:1.

Essex County College vs. PCCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Essex County College or PCCC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Essex County College than PCCC ($4,971 vs. $6,646).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Essex County College are 22.2% lower than at Passaic County Community College ($10,500 vs. $13,500).
• Essex County College is 13.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than PCCC (about $1,123 more per year; $9,523.00 vs. $8,400.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.9% higher at PCCC than at Essex County College (about $1,037 more per year; $10,560.00 vs. $9,523.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Passaic County Community College than at Essex County College (84% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Essex County College students is 2.7% larger than aid received by Passaic County Community College students ($7,377 vs. $7,185).

Essex County College vs. PCCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Essex County College or PCCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between PCCC and Essex County College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Essex County College - Open admission; PCCC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Essex County College Aug 24, 2027.

Essex County College vs. PCCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Essex County College and PCCC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Essex County College earn a median of about $3,300 more per year than PCCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,600 vs. $30,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.