New Jersey's 'Free Community College' Program Is Paying Off For Students, Report Says

New Jersey’s “tuition-free community college” program has now helped tens of thousands of students to chase a degree – and they’ve been proving their mettle with some concrete results, officials say.

The New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) and the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) recently released a report that takes a look at the state-funded Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG).

“By strengthening pathways to college for students of all backgrounds, we are keeping our promise to build a stronger and fairer New Jersey,” said Gov. Phil Murphy, who signed off on funding for the CCOG in the latest state budget.

Students who qualify for the grant can pursue their first associate degree tuition-free at more than a dozen community colleges in New Jersey. The program covers the cost of any remaining tuition – up to 18 credits per term – in addition to approved education fees, after all other grants and scholarships are applied.

Students must be a New Jersey resident with an adjusted gross income (AGI) no higher than $65,000 to qualify. Learn more about the program and see other eligibility requirements here.

According to the report, the CCOG helped more than 50,000 students from lower-income backgrounds pursue an associate degree between 2019 and 2024.

The report also says that students in the program are more likely to stay enrolled, graduate and transfer to four-year institutions.

Other highlights from the report include:

• For every age range, for both males and females, and across all racial/ethnic groups, CCOG recipients have higher retention rates than non-recipients
• Students with financial support from CCOG are 32% more likely to graduate within three years than peers without the grant
• With the average academic year award from CCOG growing by $1,128 between 2019 and 2024, out-of-pocket costs for students and families paying for community college were reduced by 10.5%

The CCOG is one of several state financial aid programs available to eligible New Jersey college students, in addition to grants and scholarships such as the Tuition Aid Grant, Garden State Guarantee, and New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS).

>> READ MORE: New Jersey’s Free Community College Program Is Now Permanent

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