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Mount Wachusett Community College
Gardner, MA 3,059 Undergrads 29.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$15,487
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,931
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,977
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$7,931
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$53,977
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate29.5%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time27.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$571k
+$56k
+$87k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$557k
+$41k
+$72k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$543k
+$27k
+$58k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
30
496%
Full Cost$15k/yr
33
205%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return496%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return76%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,550
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$7,473
Earnings (4yr)
$39,102
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Biotechnology
CertCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,955
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$30,261
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,339
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Computer Software and Media Applications
CertCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
CertCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies
CertCIP: 5126
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $27,180
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Services, General
CertCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$5,100
Earnings (4yr)
$26,085
Natl Median: $36,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$12,134
Earnings (4yr)
$77,523
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
CertCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,763
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$10,720
Earnings (4yr)
$50,002
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Alternative and Complementary Medical Support Services
AssocCIP: 5134
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,508
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,758
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biotechnology
AssocCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,595
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,089
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$8,274
Earnings (4yr)
$55,418
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Chemistry
AssocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,597
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,243
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$7,322
Earnings (4yr)
$45,678
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Computer Software and Media Applications
AssocCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$11,961
Earnings (4yr)
$60,626
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,520
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
AssocCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
AssocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$4,691
Earnings (4yr)
$44,193
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$4,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,514
Natl Median: $39,422
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$13,702
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,825
Earnings (4yr)
$43,842
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
AssocCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,634
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
AssocCIP: 5120
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,856
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
AssocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,321
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,825
Earnings (4yr)
$83,155
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.