Degree Dividend
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Mount Wachusett Community College vs Anna Maria College: which has better ROI?

Public, Gardner MA · vs · Private nonprofit, Paxton MA

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Anna Maria College comes closer — median earnings $46,651 against a $113,332 total, vs $41,118 at Mount Wachusett Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureMount Wachusett Community CollegeAnna Maria College
Net price / yr$7,931$28,333
Total net cost$15,862$113,332
Median earnings, 10 yrs$41,118$46,651
Median debt$10,252$25,000
Payback
20-year net return-$160,702-$147,512

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Mount Wachusett Community College or Anna Maria College?

Mount Wachusett Community College, at $7,931 a year after aid versus $28,333 — a gap of $20,402 a year, or $97,470 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Mount Wachusett Community College or Anna Maria College graduates earn more?

Anna Maria College graduates report a median $46,651 ten years after entry, $5,533 more than the $41,118 at Mount Wachusett Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.

Which leaves students with less debt, Mount Wachusett Community College or Anna Maria College?

Mount Wachusett Community College: its completers carry a median $10,252 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Anna Maria College, a difference of $14,748. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

46% of students finish at Anna Maria College, against 24% at Mount Wachusett Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.

Mount Wachusett Community College vs Anna Maria College: frequently asked questions

Is Mount Wachusett Community College or Anna Maria College a better value?
Anna Maria College comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, Mount Wachusett Community College or Anna Maria College?
Mount Wachusett Community College: $7,931/yr net price after aid versus $28,333/yr at Anna Maria College — a difference of $20,402 a year, or about $97,470 over four years.
Do Mount Wachusett Community College or Anna Maria College graduates earn more?
Anna Maria College graduates earn a median $46,651 ten years after entry, versus $41,118 at Mount Wachusett Community College — a $5,533 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.