Head-to-head comparison
Middlesex Community College vs Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences: which has better ROI?
Option A Bedford, MA
Middlesex Community College
- Net price / year
- $2,624
- Earnings, 10 years
- $50,651
- Payback
- 2.3 yrs
Option B Boston, MA
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- Net price / year
- $39,545
- Earnings, 10 years
- $125,557
- Payback
- 2 yrs
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $158,180 in 2 years versus 2.3 years at Middlesex Community College, on median earnings of $125,557 vs $50,651 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Middlesex Community College | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $2,624 | $39,545 |
| Total net cost | $5,248 | $158,180 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $50,651 | $125,557 |
| Median debt | $7,291 | $25,000 |
| Payback | 2.3 yrs | 2 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $40,572 | $1,385,760 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Middlesex Community College or Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences?
Middlesex Community College, at $2,624 a year after aid versus $39,545 — a gap of $36,921 a year, or $152,932 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 Middlesex Community College or Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences graduates earn more?
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences graduates report a median $125,557 ten years after entry, $74,906 more than the $50,651 at Middlesex 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, Middlesex Community College or Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences?
Middlesex Community College: its completers carry a median $7,291 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, a difference of $17,709. 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?
62% of students finish at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, against 23% at Middlesex 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.