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

Public, Gardner MA · vs · Public, Pittsfield MA

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Mount Wachusett Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,118 against a $15,862 total, vs $38,832 at Berkshire Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureMount Wachusett Community CollegeBerkshire Community College
Net price / yr$7,931$9,921
Total net cost$15,862$19,842
Median earnings, 10 yrs$41,118$38,832
Median debt$10,252$12,053
Payback
20-year net return-$160,702-$210,402

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

Which is cheaper, Mount Wachusett Community College or Berkshire Community College?

Mount Wachusett Community College, at $7,931 a year after aid versus $9,921 — a gap of $1,990 a year, or $3,980 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 Berkshire Community College graduates earn more?

Mount Wachusett Community College graduates report a median $41,118 ten years after entry, $2,286 more than the $38,832 at Berkshire 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 Berkshire Community College?

Mount Wachusett Community College: its completers carry a median $10,252 in federal loans versus $12,053 at Berkshire Community College, a difference of $1,801. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

24% of students finish at Mount Wachusett Community College, against 20% at Berkshire 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 Berkshire Community College: frequently asked questions

Is Mount Wachusett Community College or Berkshire Community College a better value?
Mount Wachusett Community 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 Berkshire Community College?
Mount Wachusett Community College: $7,931/yr net price after aid versus $9,921/yr at Berkshire Community College — a difference of $1,990 a year, or about $3,980 over four years.
Do Mount Wachusett Community College or Berkshire Community College graduates earn more?
Mount Wachusett Community College graduates earn a median $41,118 ten years after entry, versus $38,832 at Berkshire Community College — a $2,286 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.