North Shore Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
North Shore Community College charges a net price of $9,000/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $18,000. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,391, 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.)
On institution-wide earnings, North Shore Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #64 of 85 Massachusetts colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,000/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $18,000 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,391 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,969/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$77,380 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on North Shore Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,000 × 2 years = $18,000 total. Median earnings $45,391 fall $2,969 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 $18,000 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do North Shore Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,000 in federal loans among completers, or 20% of the $45,391 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of North Shore Community College students graduate?
18% finish their degree — 82% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,000 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $100,000 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is North Shore Community College expensive compared with other Massachusetts colleges?
Its $9,000 net price runs $15,883 below the $24,883 median across the 85 Massachusetts colleges we profile, and $31,766 less across the full degree.