Head-to-head comparison
Central Maine Community College vs Washington County Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Auburn, ME
Central Maine Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,975
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,448
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Calais, ME
Washington County Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,149
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,407
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Central Maine Community College comes closer — median earnings $42,448 against a $13,950 total, vs $34,407 at Washington County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Central Maine Community College | Washington County Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,975 | $5,149 |
| Total net cost | $13,950 | $20,596 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,448 | $34,407 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$132,190 | -$299,656 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Central Maine Community College or Washington County Community College?
Washington County Community College, at $5,149 a year after aid versus $6,975 — a gap of $1,826 a year, or $6,646 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 Central Maine Community College or Washington County Community College graduates earn more?
Central Maine Community College graduates report a median $42,448 ten years after entry, $8,041 more than the $34,407 at Washington County 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 graduates more of its students?
55% of students finish at Washington County Community College, against 30% at Central Maine 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.