Skip to Main Content

Association of Proprietary Colleges (APC)

  • Proprietary College Education
    • History
    • Impact
  • Member Colleges
    • Member College Profiles
    • Member Listings
    • Our Reach
    • APC Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Government Affairs
    • State
    • Federal
  • News + Media
    • In the News
    • Publications and Reports
    • Media Kit
  • Association Business
    • Who We Are
    • The Board of Trustees
    • Contact
  • APC Events
Twitter Facebook YouTube

Excellence.
Access.
Affordability.

The Association of Proprietary Colleges (APC) represents 12 fully accredited, degree granting colleges operating on 23 college campuses across New York State offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level programs.

AOC crest

New York State has a long-standing history of working together with institutions of higher education in all four sectors (SUNY, CUNY, independent non-profit and proprietary) to benefit all New Yorkers. This commitment to equality and parity across all sectors has created a robust and diverse education system that has resulted in innovative and novel ideas, a consistent pipeline of employees for local businesses and has had a strong, positive economic impact across the state.

A report recently released by the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), titled “Unequal Burden: Black Borrowers and the Student Loan Debt Crisis” points out some troubling statistics related to college completion, debt and income disparities among Black New Yorkers. While the report makes many valid and important points, it also portrays an inaccurate and misleading assessment of New York’s proprietary college sector in an effort to support their position.

Consider the following:

  • On-time Graduation Rates for Black Students: The proprietary (for-profit) sector has the highest on-time Bachelor degree graduation rate for Black, Non-Hispanic students when compared to SUNY, CUNY, and the non-profit sector. When comparing Bachelor degree on-time graduation rates for Black, Non-Hispanic students, the NY proprietary sector has a 49% graduation rate compared to 17.6% for CUNY; 40% non-profit sector; and 47.5% SUNY. Data source:  NYS Education Department, 2018 data.  https://apc-colleges.org/proprietary-college-education/impact
  • College Affordability: In the 2017/2018 academic year, average tuition at APC member institutions increased less than 2 percent and our member colleges provided more than $95 million in institutional aid to their students.
  • Keeping student loan debt low: According to recently released College Scorecard data, students graduating from APC member colleges accumulate an average of just $22,357 in student loan debt. This is significantly lower than the average student loan debt of New York residents of $30,931 and the national average of $28,650.
  • Cohort Default Rates: The U.S. Department of Education recently released the 2015 three-year Cohort Default Rates (CDR). Recent studies show that student loan borrowers who struggle the most to repay their loans are often non-completers. In fact, student borrowers who do not complete a degree default on their student loans at a rate of almost three times higher than borrowers who earned a degree. The average default rate for APC member colleges is 10.89 percent. This is considerably lower than the national average for the proprietary sector of 15.6% in FY 2015 and in line with U.S. averages for all sectors at 10.8%.

Monroe College, an APC member located in the poorest congressional district in the country, was noted in the report as one of the top five colleges in New York City for educating Black students (as a percentage of enrollment). Also cited for its for positive degree completion rates, Monroe has a strong and proud history of improving college access, affordability, and attainment for students often under-represented and underserved elsewhere across higher education. The College is routinely recognized for its success educating and graduating minority and low-income students.  

The Association of Proprietary Colleges (APC) represents twelve degree-granting colleges in New York State. APC member colleges are committed to their students’ success by offering a high quality, affordable education. Visit the APC website (https://apc-colleges.org/proprietary-college-education/impact) to learn more and get the facts about New York’s degree-granting proprietary sector. 

 

On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, Association of Proprietary Colleges (APC) President/CEO Donna S. Gurnett, testified before the New York State Senate and Assembly Standing Committees on Higher Education. The purpose of the hearing was to examine the impact COVID-19 has had on higher education institutions, students, faculty and staff during the Spring 2020 semester and will have on the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. APC was one of only a small group who participated in the session that included SUNY, CUNY, HESC and CICU and a few others. Ms. Gurnett highlighted the creative and resourceful ways in which APC member colleges responded to COVID while also reminding the committee members of our students strong academic outcomes and the need for continued support of TAP and ETA.

  • Start
  • Prev
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • Next
  • End

APC News

APC in Action February 2021

February 16, 2021

APC statement on appointment of Dr. Betty A. Rosa as Commissioner of Education and President of the University of the State of New York

February 09, 2021

APC Highlights Member Colleges’ Resiliency During Difficult Year in Budget Testimony

February 04, 2021

ICYMI Higher Education News - January 13, 2020

January 13, 2021

Statement on the Election of Dr. Lester Young as Chancellor of the Board of Regents

January 11, 2021

ICYMI Higher Education News - January 6, 2020

January 06, 2021

The Facts

APC colleges are committed to keeping loan debt low; achievement high; and creating a path to employment. Be informed. Facts and Figures page.

Average Student Loan
Debt Comparison

avg student loan debt

 


Fortune 500 Company Seeks Out College of Westchester Graduates

APC member colleges are New York focused

APC member colleges are New York focused, educating local students for lifelong careers that are in demand in New York. Ninety percent of students attending APC member colleges are from New York and more than 90 percent of those students stay in New York after graduation to live and work. Our colleges educate over 26,000 students and employ more than 6,000 people making them strong economic drivers in their local communities. To learn more about the impact graduates from APC member colleges have on their local communities – visit the APC Impact Page.

On-time associate degree graduation rates for all students grad rates all

On-time associate degree graduation rates for students with a HS GPA between 70-80% grad rates 70 80

View more

121 State Street, Albany, New York 12207
Phone: 518-437-1867
Email: apc@apc-colleges.org

Twitter Facebook YouTube

 

footer crest The Association of Proprietary Colleges © 2019 | All Rights Reserved

Copyright ©2021 ADG. All Rights Reserved • Web Design & Development by ADG Creative, a division of ADG.
ADG is a certified Women Owned Business.