Washington County Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Washington County Community College charges a net price of $5,149/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $20,596. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,407, 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, Washington County Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #24 of 27 Maine colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,149/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $20,596 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,407 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,953/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$299,656 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Washington County Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,149 × 4 years = $20,596 total. Median earnings $34,407 fall $13,953 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 $20,596 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Washington County Community College students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,596 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $37,447 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Washington County Community College expensive compared with other Maine colleges?
Its $5,149 net price runs $12,031 below the $17,180 median across the 27 Maine colleges we profile, and $48,124 less across the full degree.