Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary of Education | https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Cindy_Marten%2C_Deputy_Secretary_of_Education_2.jpg
Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary of Education | https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Cindy_Marten%2C_Deputy_Secretary_of_Education_2.jpg
Data shows that students paid $22,704 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $613 more than the previous school year.
Among the seven institutions providing full disclosure in the county, Princeton University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $57,410. Rider University followed with an average of $37,200 per year. Mercer County Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $6,294.
At the time, at least $93.5 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Mercer County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $17.3 million.
Currently there are nine higher education institutions in Mercer County, including Princeton University, Capital Health School of Radiologic Technology, and Thomas Edison State University.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the nine institutions in Mercer County, two did not provide detailed data on tuition fees, including Capital Health School of Nursing and Capital Health School of Radiologic Technology.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The College of New Jersey | 966 | $13,354,078 | $13,824 | 792 | $8,860,290 | $11,187 |
| Fortis Institute-Lawrenceville | 161 | $886,065 | $5,504 | 156 | $1,243,461 | $7,971 |
| Mercer County Community College | 394 | $2,644,077 | $6,711 | 127 | $834,057 | $6,567 |
| Princeton University | 904 | $54,808,388 | $60,629 | 116 | $889,339 | $7,667 |
| Thomas Edison State University | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Rider University | 779 | $21,353,272 | $27,411 | 501 | $4,814,064 | $9,609 |
| Capital Health School of Nursing | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Innovate Salon Academy | 75 | $418,193 | $5,576 | 97 | $665,771 | $6,864 |
| Capital Health School of Radiologic Technology | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
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