Our commitment is to reach out to the many and diverse populations of this county, to respect the human dignity of each individual and to value his/her background and goals, to support the educational, career, and experiential needs of our citizenry, to foster opportunities for maximizing personal growth, and to develop knowledge and skills that will enhance each individual's success in realizing his/her vision for himself/herself.
Rockland Community College is a two-year college in the SUNY system, located in hamlet of Viola within the Village of Suffern from the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. The college began in 1959 in the former county almshouse. The college offers 41 programs in the arts and sciences, technology, and health professions. The current enrollment is about 6,300 full and part-time students. The main campus is in Suffern, New York, but instructions are also offered in Haverstraw and Spring Valley extensions.
In 2009, Rockland Community College will celebrate the institution's Golden Anniversary.
An institution called Rockland College, chartered by the state Board of Regents in 1878, thrived for sixteen years in Nyack, New York.
Rockland Junior College, federally funded, disbursed through New York State, and sponsored by Nyack High School was established in 1932 as one of several Depression-era two-year schools. New York University and Syracuse University accepted two years of credit from the college. Rockland Junior College shut down in 1935.
The driving force to build Rockland Community College came eighteen years later. An affordable, quality two year college in a convenient location would raise taxes by $4 a year.
Rockland County, one the state’s smallest geographically, outside of New York City, was growing exponentially in population and in demand for a skilled, educated work force.
Large local industries like Avon Products in Suffern and Lederle Laboratories in Pearl River required more skilled workers, and the growth of hospitals such as Nyack Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern warranted the creation of a nursing program.
Between 1956 and 1970, Rockland’s population was one of the fastest growing in the state, expected to double from 107,000 to 215,000 and the number of high school graduates was projected to rise from 700 to 2,463.
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Full-Time vs. Part-Time
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Race/Ethnicity
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In State vs. Out-of-State
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Top States for Incoming Freshman
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| Percent of Students International: | 3% |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | In-State | Out-of-State | |
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 3,050 | $ 5,850 | |
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 2,800 | $ 5,600 | |
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 250 | $ 250 | |
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 1,787 | 33% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 1,000 | 34% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 1,532 | 1% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 2,012 | 7% | |
Any Aid: |
39% |
