BCC vs. NECC

Deciding between Berkshire Community College and Northern Essex Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BCC Pittsfield, MA
  • NECC Haverhill, MA
  • Setting
  • BCC Rural Fringe
  • NECC Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • BCC 1,694
  • NECC 4,721
  • Type
  • BCC Public 2 Year
  • NECC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BCC
  • NECC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BCC -
  • NECC -
  • Status
  • BCC Non-profit
  • NECC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BCC
  • NECC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BCC $6,164
  • NECC $6,732
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BCC $11,468
  • NECC $12,516
  • Room & Board
  • BCC $17,750
  • NECC $12,003
  • Average Net Price
  • BCC $9,660
  • NECC $6,049
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BCC $8,299
  • NECC $6,990
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BCC 86%
  • NECC 67%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BCC -
  • NECC -
  • Admitted
  • BCC -
  • NECC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BCC Open
  • NECC Open
  • Enrolled
  • BCC Open
  • NECC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • BCC
  • NECC
  • Typical ACT score
  • BCC
  • NECC
  • Average High School GPA
  • BCC -
  • NECC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BCC -
  • NECC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • BCC Unavailable
  • NECC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • BCC
  • NECC
  • ACT Range
  • BCC
  • NECC
  • SAT Range
  • BCC
  • NECC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BCC Open admission
  • NECC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • BCC
  • NECC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BCC 10:1
  • NECC 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BCC
    • Health Professions (31%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • NECC
    • Health Professions (32%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (19%)
    • Business (14%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BCC -
  • NECC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BCC $33,900
  • NECC $35,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BCC 44%
  • NECC 47%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BCC $10,500
  • NECC $8,938
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BCC $108
  • NECC $92

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BCC 33%
  • NECC 37%
  • % Women
  • BCC 67%
  • NECC 63%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BCC Low
  • NECC High
  • HBCU
  • BCC No
  • NECC No
  • % White
  • BCC 80%
  • NECC 50%
  • % Asian
  • BCC 2%
  • NECC 2%
  • % Black
  • BCC 7%
  • NECC 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • BCC 7%
  • NECC 41%
  • % Native American
  • BCC 0%
  • NECC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BCC 0%
  • NECC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BCC 2%
  • NECC 1%
  • % International
  • BCC 0%
  • NECC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BCC 2%
  • NECC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BCC 98%
  • NECC 91%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BCC 2%
  • NECC 9%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • BCC No
  • NECC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • BCC No
  • NECC No
  • Meal Plan
  • BCC No
  • NECC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • BCC No
  • NECC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • BCC Yes
  • NECC Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA with Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Northern Essex Community College is larger than BCC based on total student enrollment (4,721 students vs. 1,694 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Berkshire Community College is located in Pittsfield, MA (Rural Fringe setting); Northern Essex Community College is in Haverhill, MA (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Berkshire Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Northern Essex Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Berkshire Community College 10:1; Northern Essex Community College 19:1.

BCC vs. NECC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BCC or NECC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Essex Community College than BCC ($6,049 vs. $9,660).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Essex Community College are 32.4% lower than at Berkshire Community College ($12,003 vs. $17,750).
  • Northern Essex Community College is 9.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than BCC (about $568 more per year; $6,732.00 vs. $6,164.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9.1% higher at NECC than at Berkshire Community College (about $1,048 more per year; $12,516.00 vs. $11,468.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Berkshire Community College than at Northern Essex Community College (86% vs. 67%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berkshire Community College students is 18.7% larger than aid received by Northern Essex Community College students ($8,299 vs. $6,990).

BCC vs. NECC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BCC or NECC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between NECC and BCC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BCC - Open admission; NECC - Open admission.

BCC vs. NECC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BCC and NECC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Northern Essex Community College earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than BCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,200 vs. $33,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Northern Essex Community College graduates have a $1,562 lower median loan debt than BCC graduates ($8,938 vs. $10,500).
  • Among borrowers, NECC graduates have an estimated $16 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BCC graduates ($92 vs. $108).
  • More NECC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BCC students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 44%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.