Mount Wachusett Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Gardner, Massachusetts. It enrolls 3,059 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
63/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes24
Value69
Affordability64
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Mount Wachusett Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Mount Wachusett Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $7,931 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$7,931
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
44%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
17%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$6,160
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,080
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,998
Books & Supplies
$1,540
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,385
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,487
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$5,899
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,873
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,711
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,850
Over $110,000
$14,528
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$94110%percentile
$1,83725%percentile
$10,252Medianpercentile
$8,56475%percentile
$15,25090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $4,873
↓ $5,379
No Pell $6,463
↓ $3,789
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,752
Independent students $6,227
↓ $4,025
Female students $5,639
↓ $4,613
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,752
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,357, less than completers ($10,252), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
27% of full-time students who enrolled at Mount Wachusett Community College graduate within six years, and 63% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
27%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
63%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Mount Wachusett Community College earn a median of $41,118 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,118
Earning > $25K
64%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$34,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$40,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$41,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,000, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
8.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 73% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Mount Wachusett Community College is home to 3,059 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 48% are first-generation college students, 73% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
3,059
Part-Time
73%
First-Generation
48%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 57.5%1,760
Hispanic 24.2%739
Black 9.8%301
Asian 2.7%83
Other 2.7%83
International 0.2%7
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Mount Wachusett Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize SuburbGardner, Massachusetts
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
38%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Mount Wachusett Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
32 distinct programs across
19 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mount Wachusett Community College is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,489
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$4.9M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,603
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
59 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
26
44%
$80,254
Associate Professors
17
29%
$60,628
Assistant Professors
11
19%
$57,328
Instructors
5
8%
$59,937
Pros & Cons of Mount Wachusett Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Mount Wachusett Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Mount Wachusett Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mount Wachusett Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Mount Wachusett Community College.
Is Mount Wachusett Community College hard to get into?
Mount Wachusett Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Mount Wachusett Community College?
Mount Wachusett Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Mount Wachusett Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Mount Wachusett Community College is $7,931 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mount Wachusett Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,118 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $7,931 per year. That's roughly 5.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Mount Wachusett Community College known for?
Mount Wachusett Community College is best known for its programs in Nursing, Liberal Arts, Medical Assisting. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Mount Wachusett Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Mount Wachusett Community College are $41,118, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Mount Wachusett Community College accredited?
Yes. Mount Wachusett Community College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Mount Wachusett Community College?
Mount Wachusett Community College enrolls 3,059 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Mount Wachusett Community College?
Mount Wachusett Community College graduates 27% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Mount Wachusett Community College a public or private college?
Mount Wachusett Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Mount Wachusett Community College located?
Mount Wachusett Community College is located in Gardner, Massachusetts.
What programs does Mount Wachusett Community College offer?
Mount Wachusett Community College offers 32 distinct programs. The most popular include Nursing, Liberal Arts, Medical Assisting.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Mount Wachusett Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mount Wachusett Community College is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Massachusetts
Other colleges in Massachusetts share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Liberal Arts
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Biological and Physical Sciences
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