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Mount Wachusett Community College vs Cambridge College: which has better ROI?

Public, Gardner MA · vs · Private nonprofit, Boston 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 $45,998 at Cambridge College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureMount Wachusett Community CollegeCambridge College
Net price / yr$7,931$31,072
Total net cost$15,862$124,288
Median earnings, 10 yrs$41,118$45,998
Median debt$10,252$21,791
Payback
20-year net return-$160,702-$171,528

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

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

Mount Wachusett Community College, at $7,931 a year after aid versus $31,072 — a gap of $23,141 a year, or $108,426 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 Cambridge College graduates earn more?

Cambridge College graduates report a median $45,998 ten years after entry, $4,880 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 Cambridge College?

Mount Wachusett Community College: its completers carry a median $10,252 in federal loans versus $21,791 at Cambridge College, a difference of $11,539. 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 11% at Cambridge 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 Cambridge College: frequently asked questions

Is Mount Wachusett Community College or Cambridge 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 Cambridge College?
Mount Wachusett Community College: $7,931/yr net price after aid versus $31,072/yr at Cambridge College — a difference of $23,141 a year, or about $108,426 over four years.
Do Mount Wachusett Community College or Cambridge College graduates earn more?
Cambridge College graduates earn a median $45,998 ten years after entry, versus $41,118 at Mount Wachusett Community College — a $4,880 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.