Head-to-head comparison
Bristol Community College vs Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts: which has better ROI?
Option A Fall River, MA
Bristol Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,547
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,663
- 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 $38,663 at Bristol Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bristol Community College | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,547 | $16,068 |
| Total net cost | $11,094 | $64,272 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,663 | $48,102 |
| Median debt | $8,243 | $23,750 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$205,034 | -$69,432 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bristol Community College or Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts?
Bristol Community College, at $5,547 a year after aid versus $16,068 — a gap of $10,521 a year, or $53,178 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 Bristol 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, $9,439 more than the $38,663 at Bristol 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, Bristol Community College or Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts?
Bristol Community College: its completers carry a median $8,243 in federal loans versus $23,750 at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, a difference of $15,507. 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 22% at Bristol 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.