Mercer County Community College vs. RVCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, NJ with Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, NJ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Raritan Valley Community College is larger than Mercer County Community College based on total student enrollment (6,762 students vs. 6,394 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mercer County Community College is located in West Windsor, NJ (Rural Fringe setting); Raritan Valley Community College is in Branchburg, NJ (Rural Fringe setting).
• Mercer County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Raritan Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Mercer County Community College 16:1; Raritan Valley Community College 19:1.

Mercer County Community College vs. RVCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercer County Community College or RVCC? 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 Mercer County Community College than RVCC ($5,475 vs. $7,008).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercer County Community College are 20% lower than at Raritan Valley Community College ($9,600 vs. $12,000).
• Mercer County Community College is 2.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than RVCC (about $222 more per year; $7,806.00 vs. $7,584.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 21% higher at Mercer County Community College than at Raritan Valley Community College (about $1,590 more per year; $9,174.00 vs. $7,584.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mercer County Community College than at Raritan Valley Community College (60% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mercer County Community College students is 2.8% larger than aid received by Raritan Valley Community College students ($6,791 vs. $6,605).

Mercer County Community College vs. RVCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mercer County Community College or RVCC? 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 RVCC and Mercer County Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Mercer County Community College - Open admission; RVCC - Open admission.

Mercer County Community College vs. RVCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mercer County Community College and RVCC? 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 Raritan Valley Community College earn a median of about $4,300 more per year than Mercer County Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,500 vs. $38,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More RVCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer County Community College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 39%)

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.