Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF

Dutchess Community College

Poughkeepsie, NY · 8 field-and-degree records

Earnings reported for 8 · Federal debt reported for 7

Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff

−$237,010 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

Not availableTime to earn back the modeled cost
−108%Estimated return after 10 years
$43,325Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question

What do you want to understand?

ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$237,010at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$220,2600
2
4
6
8
−$237,01010
Years after graduationBreak-even: years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$5,670
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$10,670
Sticker price
Average net price$10,065
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$17,159
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25

What makes up the annual price?

Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.

Tuition and required fees$5,670$10,670 for out-of-state students
Books and supplies$1,450Estimated academic-year allowance
On-campus housing and food$13,786$3,566 in other expenses reported separately
Estimated on-campus total$24,472Sum of available published components, before aid

Living off campus: $15,843 housing and food allowance plus $3,566 in other expenses.

Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$43,325 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not your personal aid offer. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24

Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.

IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.

Fully online23%
1,956 students
Some online courses32%
2,692 students
No online courses44%
3,679 students
Undergraduates age 25+15%
Share of undergraduate enrollment

Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.

College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE

Institution details

Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.

Accreditor
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Main award level
Associate degrees
Campus setting
Suburban
Admissions
Open admission
Delivery
Campus or mixed delivery
Federal designation
No special designation reported
Sources: College Scorecard June 2026 release and IPEDS 2024 institutional characteristics.
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024

2,507 high-school students took college courses.

IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.

This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.

STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024

Prices in New York run 8% above the U.S. level.

BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.

Overall8% above U.S.
Goods7% above U.S.
Housing22% above U.S.
Utilities34% above U.S.
Other services4% above U.S.

Use this as geographic context, not a personal budget. It describes the state, not the campus neighborhood, and does not measure tuition or student-specific housing.

DegreeVerdict does not adjust reported earnings, college prices or ROI using this index.

Download the official BEA source →
THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE VERDICT

What it costs and what graduates earn

$10,065Average net price / year
$17,159Cost of attendance
$10,039Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$106/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$43,325Median earnings · year 5 after completion
29.7%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
3,824Student size

Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What the numbers say about Dutchess Community College

What does Dutchess Community College cost?

Dutchess Community College reports an average annual net price of $10,065 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.

What do Dutchess Community College graduates earn?

The observed median earnings figure is $43,325 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.

How much federal debt do Dutchess Community College graduates have?

Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $10,039. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Is every degree at Dutchess Community College worth the same?

No. The current release contains 8 field-and-degree records for Dutchess Community College; 8 report year-4 earnings and 7 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.

DEBT AFTER COLLEGE

Are borrowers making progress?

Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.

1 year37%Paid down at least $1 of principal
3 years43%Paid down at least $1 of principal
5 years44%Paid down at least $1 of principal
7 years52%Paid down at least $1 of principal
Students who completed$10,039Median federal debt · 523 borrowers
Students who withdrew$5,500Median federal debt · 1,449 borrowers
Three-year cohort default rate0%Federal cohort measure, not the share currently behind on payments

Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.

2024–25 ENROLLMENT

Who studied here during the year

8,398Students enrolled at any point
8,398Undergraduate students
Not availableGraduate students

Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.

More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
PRICE BY FAMILY INCOME

Average net price is not one price

Federal averages for aided students in each family-income band. Your aid offer can differ.

$0–30k$6,141
$30–48k$7,736
$48–75k$11,586
$75–110k$14,886
$110k+$16,527
LONGER-TERM CONTEXT

What happens beyond the first earnings measure

Year 5$43,325
Year 6$34,095
Year 10$43,929
Full-time retention
60.7%
Part-time retention
39.1%
Completion within 200% of normal time
33.0%

Earnings timepoints may use different historical cohorts and should not be read as one group’s guaranteed salary growth.

WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS

Outcomes are not the same for every family.

These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.

Pell Grant students25%

Complete within 150% of the expected time

28% received a Pell Grant within eight years
Parent borrowing$7,328

Median Parent PLUS debt

118 parent borrowers in the reported cohort
First-generation students$5,500

Median federal student debt

43% making progress in repayment after three years
Student family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$39,738Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$46,996Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$50,509Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income33%
Middle income47%
Higher income52%
Undergraduate student composition
White41%
Black16%
Hispanic29%
Asian3%

Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.

INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW

How earnings develop by field

Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.

Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians.Associate degree · Broad federal field 47
$109,749Year 1
$128,254Year 5
$134,060Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Associate degree · Broad federal field 14
$33,372Year 1
$83,137Year 5
$106,080Year 10
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection.Associate degree · Broad federal field 46
Not availableYear 1
Not availableYear 5
$100,908Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Associate degree · Broad federal field 51
$77,387Year 1
$90,877Year 5
$99,276Year 10
Computer Programming.Associate degree · Broad federal field 11
$38,861Year 1
$79,787Year 5
$95,189Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Associate degree · Broad federal field 15
$38,967Year 1
$57,867Year 5
$89,103Year 10
Criminal Justice and Corrections.Associate degree · Broad federal field 43
$32,986Year 1
$58,540Year 5
$80,382Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Associate degree · Broad federal field 52
$32,687Year 1
$58,075Year 5
$71,298Year 10

Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.

NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

45thEarnings percentile
11thCompletion percentile
WHAT STANDS OUT

A faster read on this college

These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.

$45,135Median year-4 earnings across reportable program categories
$11,000Median federal debt across categories that report debt
50%Of comparable categories above their same-field national benchmark
EARNINGS OVER TIME

What graduates earned in later years

$28,509Year 1
$44,694Year 4
$43,325Year 5

Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.

DEGREES AT THIS COLLEGE

Your choice of degree can change the payoff.

Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$105,8012Engineering, General · Associate's Degree$75,2463Criminal Justice and Corrections · Associate's Degree$52,8044Business Administration, Management and Operations · Associate's Degree$48,4815Human Services, General · Associate's Degree$41,7886Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities · Associate's Degree$40,5707Visual and Performing Arts, General · Associate's Degree$31,6808Communication and Media Studies · Associate's Degree$30,308

Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges

Strongest relative outcomes

Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark

This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree · $105,801 reported+31%vs same-degree national median$21,868federal debt2Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's Degree · $52,804 reported+13%vs same-degree national median$11,515federal debt3Human Services, GeneralAssociate's Degree · $41,788 reported+6%vs same-degree national median$14,324federal debt4Engineering, GeneralAssociate's Degree · $75,246 reported+3%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's Degree · $48,481 reported-1%vs same-degree national median$7,646federal debt6Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralAssociate's Degree · $31,680 reported-3%vs same-degree national median$5,500federal debt
BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in NY

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.

Jamestown, NY

Jamestown Community College

Annual net price
$9,850
Observed earnings · year 5
$43,252
Modeled 10-year ROI
-108%
Open college profile →
Utica, NY

Mohawk Valley Community College

Annual net price
$8,987
Observed earnings · year 5
$43,303
Modeled 10-year ROI
-108%
Open college profile →
Syracuse, NY

Onondaga Community College

Annual net price
$8,562
Observed earnings · year 5
$43,591
Modeled 10-year ROI
-107%
Open college profile →
Binghamton, NY

SUNY Broome Community College

Annual net price
$8,940
Observed earnings · year 5
$44,039
Modeled 10-year ROI
-104%
Open college profile →
DEGREE OUTCOMES

Compare fields and degree levels

Showing all 8 field-and-degree records in the current release.

Major or fieldDegree levelEarnings, year 4Federal debt2024–25 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree$105,801$21,868Not reported
Engineering, GeneralAssociate's Degree$75,246Not availableNot reported
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's Degree$52,804$11,515Not reported
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's Degree$48,481$7,646Not reported
Human Services, GeneralAssociate's Degree$41,788$14,324Not reported
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree$40,570$11,000Not reported
Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralAssociate's Degree$31,680$5,500Not reported
Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's Degree$30,308$10,998Not reported

Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.