Head-to-head comparison
Berkshire Community College vs Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts: which has better ROI?
Option A Pittsfield, MA
Berkshire Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,921
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,832
- Payback
- No payback
Option B North Adams, MA
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
- Net price / year
- $16,068
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,102
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts comes closer — median earnings $48,102 against a $64,272 total, vs $38,832 at Berkshire Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Berkshire Community College | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,921 | $16,068 |
| Total net cost | $19,842 | $64,272 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,832 | $48,102 |
| Median debt | $12,053 | $23,750 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$210,402 | -$69,432 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Berkshire Community College or Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts?
Berkshire Community College, at $9,921 a year after aid versus $16,068 — a gap of $6,147 a year, or $44,430 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 Berkshire Community College or Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduates earn more?
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduates report a median $48,102 ten years after entry, $9,270 more than the $38,832 at Berkshire 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.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Berkshire Community College or Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts?
Berkshire Community College: its completers carry a median $12,053 in federal loans versus $23,750 at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, a difference of $11,697. 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?
56% of students finish at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, against 20% at Berkshire 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.