Atlantic Cape’s Tuition Hike Lowest in State

COURT HOUSE — Students attending community college in Atlantic and Cape May counties, and throughout the state, are paying a little more than they did a year ago.
According to a release from the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, tuition at the state’s 19 community colleges increased an average of 4.4 percent this fall, over last year.
Luckily for local students, tuition at Atlantic Cape Community College saw the lowest dollar increase — $1.80 per credit hour — from $93 in 2009 to $94.80 this fall. That figure is reasonable when one notes that more than half the colleges saw increases of $5 or more, topped by Bergen County, which saw an increase of $6.70 per credit hour.
“At Atlantic Cape Community College, our primary mission is to provide superior academic programs to ensure student success,” stated Dr. Peter Mora, Atlantic Cape president. “We strive to make sure our programs are affordable for students, while balancing the need to fulfill our mission on quality.”
“The college has been successful over the past five years in keeping tuition rates below the state average for community colleges, and we’ll continue to make every effort to maintain tuition at the lowest level we can, while providing superior programs for our students,” Mora added.
Only three of the state’s county colleges have a lower cost than Atlantic Cape’s — Burlington, $92; Ocean, $94; and Gloucester, $85. Ten of the colleges have per credit costs above $100.
Statewide, fulltime college students will pay an average of $3,034 for the year or $129 more than last year.
“New Jersey’s community colleges are weathering the storm of diminished public funding and increased demand for our services,” Council Chairman Ronald Winthers said, noting that fulltime enrollment was up 12 percent statewide last year. “Our community colleges are doing their best in holding the line on tuition increases for students who are coming to us in record numbers.”
According to the release, when New Jersey’s community colleges were founded in the 1960s, the legislation called for them to be funded from three equal sources: the state, the local county and student tuition each paying one third of the total. However, the state’s funding this year is projected at 18 percent and counties at 24 percent, leaving 58 percent for students to foot with tuition.