Head-to-head comparison
Berklee College of Music vs Mount Wachusett Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Boston, MA
Berklee College of Music
- Net price / year
- $49,465
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,647
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Gardner, MA
Mount Wachusett Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,931
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,118
- Payback
- No payback
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 $33,647 at Berklee College of Music. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Berklee College of Music | Mount Wachusett Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $49,465 | $7,931 |
| Total net cost | $197,860 | $15,862 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $33,647 | $41,118 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $10,252 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$492,120 | -$160,702 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Berklee College of Music or Mount Wachusett Community College?
Mount Wachusett Community College, at $7,931 a year after aid versus $49,465 — a gap of $41,534 a year, or $181,998 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Berklee College of Music or Mount Wachusett Community College graduates earn more?
Mount Wachusett Community College graduates report a median $41,118 ten years after entry, $7,471 more than the $33,647 at Berklee College of Music. 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.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Berklee College of Music or Mount Wachusett Community College?
Mount Wachusett Community College: its completers carry a median $10,252 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Berklee College of Music, a difference of $14,748. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
67% of students finish at Berklee College of Music, against 24% at Mount Wachusett 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.