Union County Vocational Technical School
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
About Union County Vocational Technical School
Union County Vocational Technical School is a public certificate and vocational school in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, enrolling about 88 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. The published completion rate is about 95.89% at 150% of normal time. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $45,266 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 95.89%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $45,266.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Union County Vocational Technical School is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 2339% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County Vocational Technical School | — | $4,640 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,700 | — | 1,692 |
| New Jersey (state median) | $13,325 | $11,484 | 84 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,346 | $18,882 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $12,200 | $17,569 | — |
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.
How expensive is Union County Vocational Technical School really?
Key findings
- Average net price runs below the New Jersey median net price.
Evidence: average net price at Union County Vocational Technical School versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Union County Vocational Technical School is $4,640.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $4,640 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $6,844 below the New Jersey median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $14,242 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.
Union County Vocational Technical School: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Union County Vocational Technical School—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
Avg. net price
$4,640
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $4,640 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $4,640 |
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Union County Vocational Technical School is known for
Top program completions
- Electrician37
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General33
- Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician19
- Plumbing Technology/Plumber17
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Union County Vocational Technical School a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Union County Vocational Technical School 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.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Union County Vocational Technical School.
Campus
Location
Scotch Plains, NJ
City / state
- ZIP
- 07076
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is about 0.2× the median for Rural campuses ($18,882 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Mid East
Size
Enrollment
88
Undergraduates (fall)
- Undergraduates (full year)
- 124
- Full-time share
- 100%
Student aid
Debt & aid
- Pell grant share
- 30.65%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional where not shown.
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Union County Vocational Technical School.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Union County Vocational Technical School was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
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 Union County Vocational Technical School in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | — | — | $5,807 |
| 2014 | — | — | $7,728 |
| 2015 | — | — | $7,327 |
| 2016 | — | — | $5,725 |
| 2017 | — | — | $7,089 |
| 2018 | — | — | $7,412 |
| 2019 | — | — | $11,013 |
| 2020 | — | — | $9,144 |
| 2021 | — | — | $5,645 |
| 2022 | — | — | $2,228 |
| 2023 | — | — | $8,325 |
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.
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.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Union County Vocational Technical School reported total enrollment of about 88 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 68% male and 32% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (48.9%), White (33.0%), and Black or African American (14.8%). About 30.65% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 50.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Union County Vocational Technical School in 2024 is 88 students.
Over a full year, about 124 undergraduates enroll.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
100.0%
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
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
2.74% 100% Completion Time
95.89% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 2.74% of students graduating from Union County Vocational Technical School completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Electrician: 92% male / 8% female
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General: 15% male / 85% female
- Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician: 100% male / 0% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Union County Vocational Technical School graduates earn a median of $45,266 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Union County Vocational Technical School.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $45,266. Average net price used in cost models: $4,640.
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 Union County Vocational Technical School graduates report median earnings of $45,266 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 4 programs by IPEDS completions (5 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Union County Vocational Technical School.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Union County Vocational Technical School graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Union County Vocational Technical School—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $2,354
- New Jersey median 0.32× the median ($7,319)
- Mid East median 0.26× the median ($9,164)
- U.S. median 0.32× 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.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Union County Vocational Technical School at a glance
Union County Vocational Technical School
Union County Vocational Technical School is a public institution in Scotch Plains, NJ.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- ElectricianCosmetology/Cosmetologist, GeneralAutomotive Engineering Technology/Technician
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino48.9%White or Caucasian33.0%Black or African American14.8%
Schools near Union County Vocational Technical School
Other campuses in Scotch Plains, NJ when available, plus nearby institutions in New Jersey.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade A) within New Jersey, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Union County Vocational Technical School located?
Union County Vocational Technical School is located in Scotch Plains, NJ.
How much does Union County Vocational Technical School cost?
Reported tuition is N/A and average net price is $4,640 in the latest College Scorecard data.
What explains Union County Vocational Technical School's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($4,640), completion (95.9% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($45,266). 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 Union County Vocational Technical School?
Union County Vocational Technical School reports undergraduate enrollment of about 124 students, Hispanic or Latino (48.9%), White (33.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Union County Vocational Technical School?
About 50.0% of students at Union County Vocational Technical School are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Union County Vocational Technical School earn?
Median earnings are $44,174 six years after entry and $45,266 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Union County Vocational Technical School?
The 150%-time completion rate is 95.9% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
Is Union County Vocational Technical School public or private?
Union County Vocational Technical School is a public institution located in Scotch Plains, NJ.
Is Union County Vocational Technical School an HBCU?
No. Union County Vocational Technical School is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Union County Vocational Technical School a tribal college?
No. Union County Vocational Technical School is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Union County Vocational Technical School religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Union County Vocational Technical School in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
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.