Dr. Brian Bridges
The Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) has served more than 50,000 New Jersey residents since its launch in spring 2019, according to the joint report from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. The program eliminates or substantially reduces tuition and fees for students from lower-income families pursuing associate degrees at the state's 18 community colleges.
"The data is clear: CCOG recipients succeed at higher rates than their peers in terms of graduation and retention and they are doing so across age, gender, and race and ethnicity," said Dr. Brian Bridges, New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education. "This showcases the power of expanding need-based financial aid as part of goals to develop our workforce, advance equity, and ultimately ensure every resident has the opportunity achieve upward social mobility by earning a life-changing credential."
The report found that CCOG recipients consistently demonstrated higher retention, graduation and transfer rates than non-recipients across all demographic groups. Retention rates for CCOG students have ranged between 66% and 71% since the program's inception, compared to 55% to 63% for students who did not receive the grant.
Graduation rates show even more striking differences. In the 2021-2022 cohort, 26.91% of CCOG recipients graduated within three years, compared to 21.03% of non-recipients. The positive impact held true across racial and ethnic groups, with Black CCOG recipients showing graduation rates of 18% to 21% compared to 11% to 16% for non-recipients, and Hispanic students showing rates of 24% to 25% versus 15% to 19%.
The program has also opened pathways to four-year degrees. CCOG recipients transferred to four-year institutions at higher rates than their peers, with preliminary data showing more than 60% of transferring CCOG students subsequently received Garden State Guarantee grants at New Jersey's public universities.
"By reducing financial barriers to higher education, we empower more students to focus on their academic journey and obtain a college degree," said Margo Chaly, executive director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. "This essential program remains a priority for the State to invest in student success and degree attainment in the Garden State, resulting in an educated and highly skilled workforce."
Initially launched as a pilot program in spring 2019 under the Murphy Administration, CCOG began with students whose adjusted gross incomes ranged from $0 to $45,000 at 13 participating community colleges. The program quickly expanded to all 18 New Jersey community colleges and increased the income threshold to $65,000 for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Additional income tiers were added in subsequent years, with Tier 2 extending eligibility to families earning $65,001 to $80,000, and Tier 3 covering those earning $80,001 to $100,000. However, due to reduced funding, new students will not be admitted into Tiers 2 and 3 for the 2025-2026 academic year, though current recipients will maintain eligibility.
The average annual CCOG award per recipient increased from $1,108 in 2018-2019 to $2,236 in 2023-2024. This growth contributed to a 10.5% decrease in the student share of higher education costs at community colleges since the program's launch.
"If it wasn't for the New Jersey Community College Opportunity Grant, I wouldn't [have been] able to have the opportunity to continue with [my] education," said Mayra J., a CCOG recipient at Hudson County Community College. "CCOG gave me the opportunity to work on me."
The state has invested over $20 million in Student Success Initiative funding to support program awareness and student services at participating colleges.
New Jersey became the 10th state in the nation to offer an affordable pathway to an associate degree when Governor Phil Murphy signed CCOG into law on February 26, 2021.
