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Gardner, MA · Haverhill, MA
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Northern Essex Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $7,931/yr | $6,046/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $5,899/yr | $5,256/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $10,252 | $9,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $5,873/yr | $4,728/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $6,711/yr | $6,211/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $9,850/yr | $6,628/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $14,528/yr | $12,476/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $109/mo | $95/mo |
| Room & board (off campus) | $9,998/yr | $12,003/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,540/yr | $1,400/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $15,487/yr | $13,201/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $6,160/yr | $6,732/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $11,080/yr | $12,516/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 44% | 47% |
| Students taking federal loans | 17% | 9.7% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 24% | 21% |
| Freshmen who come back | 63% | 61% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $41,118/yr | $42,862/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $22,360–$60,797 | $22,038–$61,430 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 30% | 22% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $37,314/yr | $36,235/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 59% | 59% |
| Graduate on time | 15% | 9.3% |
| First-gen students who finish | 26% | 22% |
| Low-income students who finish | 24% | 20% |
| Students who transfer out | 15% | 17% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $38,341/yr | $39,480/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Health Professions 29% · Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 12% | Health Professions 33% · Business, Management & Marketing 18% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 17% |
| Most popular program | Health Professions — 29% of degrees | Health Professions — 33% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 18% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 12% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 17% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Public Administration & Social Service — 7% of degrees | Engineering Technologies — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 5% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $74,618/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $74,427/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 8% | 16% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 3,059 | 3,685 |
| Students per professor | 16 : 1 | 19 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $8,488/mo | $8,318/mo |
| Full-time professors | 100% | 53% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $27,199 | $24,448 |
| Setting | Suburb (midsize) | Suburb (large) |
| Location | Gardner, MA | Haverhill, MA |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1963 | 1961 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Traditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.2% | 2.6% |
| Men | 33% | 36% |
| Women | 67% | 64% |
| White students | 58% | 35% |
| Black students | 9.8% | 6.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 24% | 49% |
| Asian students | 2.7% | 2.1% |
| Two or more races | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Other / not reported | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 48% | 51% |
| Part-time students | 73% | 74% |
| Students age 25+ | 38% | 30% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $7,354/yr | $8,120/yr |
| Endowment | $6.0M | $10.0M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | No — no campus housing |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | Yes | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | No data reported | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | No intercollegiate athletics reported | NJCAA Division III |
| Football team | No data reported | No |
| Varsity teams | No data reported | 9 |
| Student athletes | No data reported | 127 |
| Athletic scholarships | No data reported | $0 |
| Athletics budget | No data reported | $734,327 |
| Athletics revenue | No data reported | $808,639 |
| Recruiting spend | No data reported | $0 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.