Dutchess Community College

53 Pendell Rd
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings
  • The mission of Dutchess Community College is to provide open access to affordable, quality post-secondary education to citizens of Dutchess County and others. As a comprehensive community college, DCC offers college transfer and occupational/technical degree programs, certificate programs, lifelong learning opportunities, and service to the community. The College provides educational experiences that enable qualified students to expand their academic capabilities and further develop thinking and decision making skills. By providing a full collegiate experience, the College seeks to ensure that all students achieve their individual potential.

School Highlights

Dutchess Community College serves 8,034 students (38% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 16:1 is higher than the state community college average of 10:1.
Minority enrollment is 39% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 57%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 8,034 students
  • In-state tuition: $3,635
  • Out-state tuition: $6,835
  • Student:teacher ratio: 16:1
  • Minority enrollment: 39%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

Dutchess Community College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in New York for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size

School Overview

The teacher population of 503 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Dutchess Community College
(NY) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
503 staff
158 staff
This chart display total faculty of Dutchess Community College and community college average number of faculty in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Dutchess Community College has declined by 7% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 16:1 has decreased from 17:1 over five years.
The Dutchess Community College diversity score of 0.58 is less than the state average of 0.72. The school's diversity has declined by 7% over five years.
Total Enrollment
8,034 students
1,460 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Dutchess Community College and community college average number of enrollment of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
10:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Dutchess Community College and community college average student staff ratio of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
3,015 students
869 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Dutchess Community College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
5,019 students
591 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Dutchess Community College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Dutchess Community College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of NY.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
480 students
428 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
3,015 students
869 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Dutchess Community College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
25 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
5,019 students
586 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
42 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
465 students
408 students
This chart display the dormitory capacity of Dutchess Community College and the community college average dormitory capacity of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Asian
2%
8%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Dutchess Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
18%
23%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Dutchess Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
11%
17%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Dutchess Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
61%
43%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Dutchess Community College and the percentage of White community college students in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Two or more races
4%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Dutchess Community College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
1%
4%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Dutchess Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
1%
3%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Dutchess Community College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in NY.
Diversity Score
0.58
0.72
This chart display the diversity score of Dutchess Community College and the community college average diversity score of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
29%
30%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Dutchess Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
1.55%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$37,700
$35,200
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Dutchess Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of NY by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $3,635 is less than the state average of $5,826. The in-state tuition has declined by 14% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $6,835 is less than the state average of $10,328. The out-state tuition has declined by 13% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$3,635
$5,826
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Dutchess Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$6,835
$10,328
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Dutchess Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
73%
93%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Dutchess Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$9,750
$13,841
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Dutchess Community College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$5,500
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Dutchess Community College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in NY by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
72%
SAT Reading
n/a
475
SAT Math
n/a
505
SAT Writing
n/a
485
ACT Composite
n/a
20
ACT English
n/a
18
ACT Math
n/a
20
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

School Notes

  • Founded in 1957, DCC has the lowest tuition of any college or university in the state. The college offers Associate's degrees and Certificates in over 60 academic areas of study. Our curriculums include career-oriented programs as well as those designed for successful transfer to a four-year college or university. Dutchess Community College is situated on a 130-acre hilltop campus with fantastic scenery and a park-like setting. Graced with lovely buildings and facilities, the campus is also enhanced by beautiful landscaping and a broad array of sculptures and other art. On fair-weather days, many of the College's 8,000 students can be seen strolling along the walkways or studying in one of the many attractive outdoor settings. Class sizes at Dutchess are small, with the average class size being less than 20 students. Dutchess was the first college in the state to offer a comprehensive jointly-registered transfer program in teacher education (with SUNY New Paltz), covering birth through twelfth grade. The college is accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Dutchess Community College cost?
Dutchess Community College's tuition is approximately $3,635 for In-State students and $6,835 for Out-State students.
What is Dutchess Community College's ranking?
Dutchess Community College ranks among the top 20% of community college in New York for: Least expensive tuition, Largest student body and Least debt for graduating students.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 8,034 students
  • In-state tuition: $3,635
  • Out-state tuition: $6,835
  • Student:teacher ratio: 16:1
  • Minority enrollment: 39%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For New York public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $5,826 per year for in-state students and $10,328 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $16,456 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in New York is 70%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

New York community colleges have a diversity score of 0.72, which is higher than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in New York is Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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