Active Report Report ID: EDU-192022-2026

Jefferson Community College

Watertown, NY 13601-1897

Tuition$6,264Published sticker
Avg. net price$11,923After aid
Graduation rate27.84%150% time
Median salary$39,99110yr post-entry
ROI739%10yr vs net cost

About Jefferson Community College

Jefferson Community College is a public community college in Watertown, New York, enrolling about 1,499 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $11,923 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $6,264. Student demographics in federal data include White (69.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (11.4%) among the largest enrollment groups.

Key findings

  • Jefferson Community College charges 14% above the national public median tuition ($6,264).
  • Versus the New York median, sticker tuition is about 0.5×.
  • Completion within 150% of normal time is 27.84%.
  • Median earnings 10 years after entry are $39,991.

Research findings

01

Finding

Modeled return on investment at Jefferson Community College is strong.

Estimated ROI reaches about 739% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.

— Evidence from EDsmart Data analysis

Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.

Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.

Cost benchmarks

Benchmark Median Tuition Median Net Price Count
Jefferson Community College$6,264$11,9231
Public (national median)$5,5121,688
New York (state median)$13,810$9,373272
Town (locale median)$9,600$14,9711,517
United States (national median)$11,900$17,156

Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.

Cost

How expensive is Jefferson Community College really?

Source College Scorecard + EDsmart aggregatesMethod Sticker vs net; peer mediansUpdated 2026 extractCoverage Undergraduate (Title IV net price)Confidence Federal extract

Key findings

  • Jefferson Community College charges 14% above the national public median tuition ($6,264).
  • Versus the New York median, sticker tuition is about 0.5×.
Published sticker

Jefferson Community College tuition

Published undergraduate tuition $6,264

Finding Jefferson Community College charges 14% above the national public median tuition.

Evidence Published tuition is $6,264. That is 14% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the New York median ($13,810), sticker tuition is about 0.5×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.5×.

Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.

Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.

Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.

Evidence: published tuition at Jefferson Community College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.

Evidence: average net price at Jefferson Community College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.

Average net price

What undergraduates typically pay

Finding Average net price at Jefferson Community College is $11,923.

Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $11,923 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,550 above the New York median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $3,048 below the locale median.

Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.

Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.

Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.

Key takeaway At Jefferson Community College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.

School guide

Jefferson Community College: research record

Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Jefferson Community College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.

Research findings

Interpretation

The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.

Financial profile

In-state tuition

$6,264

Out-of-state tuition

$11,700

Avg. net price

$11,923

Net price by family income

Income bracketAvg. annual net price
$0–$30,000$8,754
$30,001–$48,000$9,100
$48,001–$75,000$13,669
$75,001–$110,000$15,928
$110,001+$18,472

Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $25,056. See cost investigation.

Student outcomes

First-year retention56.3%

Share of first-year students returning the following fall.

$36,576Median earnings (6 years after entry)

Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.

Is Jefferson Community College a good school?

Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.

Jefferson Community College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.

EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.

Earnings outcomes
Campus snapshot

More from the data

Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Jefferson Community College.

Campus

Location

Watertown, NY

City / state

ZIP
13601-1897
NCES locale
Town

Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 20% below the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).

Control

Institution type

Public

Control

Region
Mid East
Carnegie
Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional

Size

Enrollment

1,499

Total enrollment

Undergraduate
3,234
Full-time share
74%

Student aid

Debt & aid

$12,000

Median federal loan debt

Pell grant share
33.75%
Cost detail

Total Cost, Aid & Default

Total Cost of Attendance

$47,692Estimated 4-year total cost
$11,923Average annual net price (after aid)
$25,0564-year in-state tuition
$46,8004-year out-of-state tuition
$14,308Room & board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,000Books & supplies (annual estimate)
$21,572Estimated annual sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$86,288Estimated 4-year sticker (before aid)

Tuition vs average net price after aid for Jefferson Community College.

Financial Aid by Income Level

33.75% Undergraduates receiving aid through grants
22.29% Undergraduates receiving aid through loans

Financial aid distribution by income level.

Student Loan Default Rate

0.00% 3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)

The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Jefferson Community College was 0.00%.

Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.

Multi-year tracker

Tuition tracker

Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Jefferson Community College in that year.

Reporting years in the table below: 20132023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).

Year In-state tuition & fees Out-of-state tuition & fees Average net price
2013$4,397$6,365$5,711
2014$4,547$6,635$6,074
2015$4,835$7,115$9,496
2016$5,067$7,563$10,012
2017$5,257$8,017$11,756
2018$5,424$10,176$11,472
2019$5,592$10,512$10,911
2020$5,688$10,608$10,767
2021$5,688$5,688$10,925
2022$5,832$5,832$11,822
2023$6,048$6,048$11,012

Sticker tuition and net price over time

Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.

College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).

Net price by family income

Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).

Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.

Access

How difficult is it to get in?

Acceptance Rate

Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.

Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.

Test Scores

Test score data is not available for this institution.

Score distribution is not available for this institution.

Academic Requirements

GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.

Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.

Student body

Enrollment & Student Demographics

Jefferson Community College reported total enrollment of about 1,499 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 41% male and 59% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (69.0%), Hispanic or Latino (11.4%), and Black or African American (7.5%). About 33.75% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 44.3% of students are first-generation college students.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

74.0% Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Jefferson Community College in 2024 is 1,499 students.

Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,234 students.

Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.

Retention Rate over Time

56.3%
2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.

Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

69.0%White or Caucasian
9Reported race/ethnicity groups

Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.

  • White or Caucasian69.0%
  • Hispanic or Latino11.4%
  • Black or African American7.5%
  • Two or More Races4.9%
  • Non-Resident Alien2.1%
  • Asian2.0%
  • Race/ethnicity unknown1.8%
  • American Indian or Alaska Native0.7%
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0.5%

College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).

Outcomes

Do students complete their programs?

Time to Complete

19.70% 100% Completion Time

27.84% 150% Completion Time

In 2024, 19.70% of students graduating from Jefferson Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time".

Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.

Completions by Sex (Top Programs)

  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies: 17% male / 83% female
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 9% male / 91% female
  • Business Administration and Management, General: 51% male / 49% female

IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).

Completions by Race & Ethnicity

270White or Caucasian
7Reported groups

Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.

  • White or Caucasian270
  • Hispanic or Latino28
  • Black or African American14
  • Two or More Races10
  • Asian7
  • American Indian or Alaska Native4
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander1

Summed across program completion records in our extract.

Outcomes & academic profile

Jefferson Community College graduates earn a median of $39,991 ten years after entry

Source College ScorecardMethod Earnings + debt + net price modelsUpdated 2026 extractCoverage Institution-wideConfidence Federal extract

Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Jefferson Community College.

Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $39,991. Median federal loan debt: $12,000. Average net price used in cost models: $11,923.

Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.

Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.

Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.

Key takeaway Jefferson Community College graduates report median earnings of $39,991 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.

Return on Investment

739%Modeled return on investment
$12,000Median student debt
$39,991Median annual earnings (10 years)
30.01%Debt-to-earnings ratio
3.0 yearsEstimated payback period

Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Jefferson Community College.

Top Programs by Completions

Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (29 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).

  1. Public Administration and Social Service 10

IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Jefferson Community College.

Employment Outcomes

$39,991Median earnings (10 years after entry)
$36,576Median earnings (6 years after entry)
$37,675Median earnings (8 years after entry)
54.57%Working & not enrolled (8-year cohort share)

Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Jefferson Community College graduates.

How financially powerful is this institution?

Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Jefferson Community College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.

Institutional endowment

$7.4M

End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023

Start of year: $7.5M

Year change: -$136,687

  • New York median 0.19× the median ($38.1M)
  • Mid East median 0.17× the median ($42.6M)
  • U.S. median 0.28× the median ($26.4M)

Per FTE: $4,716

  • New York median 0.31× the median ($15,424)
  • Mid East median 0.29× the median ($16,427)
  • U.S. median 0.39× the median ($12,100)

Instructional Resources

  • Full-time faculty share: 32.9%
    • New York median 20.9 pp below median (53.8%)
    • Mid East median 24.0 pp below median (56.9%)
    • U.S. median 25.1 pp below median (58.0%)
  • Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,904
    • New York median 0.86× the median ($8,068)
    • Mid East median 0.85× the median ($8,119)
    • U.S. median 0.91× the median ($7,615)
  • Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,705
    • New York median 0.53× the median ($10,822)
    • Mid East median 0.62× the median ($9,164)
    • U.S. median 0.78× the median ($7,288)

Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.

Jefferson Community College at a glance

Institution snapshot

Jefferson Community College

Watertown, NY 13601-1897 · Public · Mid East

Jefferson Community College is a public institution in Watertown, NY, classified as Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional.

Tuition$6,264
Avg. net price$11,923
Enrollment1,499
Completion (150%)27.84%
Pell Grant share33.75%
First-generation44.3%
Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
Humanities/Humanistic StudiesRegistered Nursing/Registered NurseBusiness Administration and Management, General
Largest enrollment groups
White or Caucasian69.0%
Hispanic or Latino11.4%
Black or African American7.5%
Nearby

Schools near Jefferson Community College

Other campuses in Watertown, NY when available, plus nearby institutions in New York.

Peers

Similar schools

Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within New York, then by similar ownership and admissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Jefferson Community College located?

Jefferson Community College is located in Watertown, NY.

What is Jefferson Community College's tuition?

Jefferson Community College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $6,264 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $11,923 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.

How much does Jefferson Community College cost?

Reported tuition is $6,264 and average net price is $11,923 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,308 annually.

What explains Jefferson Community College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?

EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($11,923), completion (27.8% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($39,991). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.

What is the student body demographics at Jefferson Community College?

Jefferson Community College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 3,234 students, White (69.0%), Hispanic or Latino (11.4%) in federal College Scorecard data.

How many first-generation students attend Jefferson Community College?

About 44.3% of students at Jefferson Community College are first-generation college students.

What do graduates of Jefferson Community College earn?

Median earnings are $36,576 six years after entry and $39,991 ten years after entry.

What is the graduation rate at Jefferson Community College?

The 150%-time completion rate is 27.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.

How much debt do Jefferson Community College students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers is $12,000.

Is Jefferson Community College public or private?

Jefferson Community College is a public institution located in Watertown, NY.

Is Jefferson Community College an HBCU?

No. Jefferson Community College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.

Is Jefferson Community College a tribal college?

No. Jefferson Community College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology & Data Scope

This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.

Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.