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Mount Wachusett Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Gardner, MA · 3,059 students

The verdict

Mount Wachusett Community College charges a net price of $7,931/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $15,862. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,118, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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On institution-wide earnings, Mount Wachusett Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #71 of 85 Massachusetts colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$7,931
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$41,118
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Mount Wachusett Community College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$7,931/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (2 yrs)$15,862our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$41,118Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$7,242/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$10,252Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$160,702our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on Mount Wachusett Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,931 × 2 years = $15,862 total. Median earnings $41,118 fall $7,242 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $15,862 bill in about 1.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do Mount Wachusett Community College students graduate with?

A median $10,252 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $41,118 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of Mount Wachusett Community College students graduate?

24% finish their degree — 76% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $15,862 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $66,092 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is Mount Wachusett Community College expensive compared with other Massachusetts colleges?

Its $7,931 net price runs $16,952 below the $24,883 median across the 85 Massachusetts colleges we profile, and $33,904 less across the full degree.

Mount Wachusett Community College: frequently asked questions

Is Mount Wachusett Community College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $41,118, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a Mount Wachusett Community College degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does Mount Wachusett Community College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $7,931/yr — about $15,862 over 2 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Mount Wachusett Community College compare to other Massachusetts colleges?
It ranks #71 of 85 Massachusetts colleges we track by payback. Its $41,118 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $7,931 net price is below the national median of $16,902.