BCC vs. NECC

Deciding between Bristol 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 Fall River, MA
  • NECC Haverhill, MA
  • Setting
  • BCC Small City
  • NECC Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • BCC 6,950
  • 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 $5,832
  • NECC $6,732
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BCC $10,776
  • NECC $12,516
  • Room & Board
  • BCC $9,547
  • NECC $12,003
  • Average Net Price
  • BCC $5,624
  • NECC $6,049
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BCC $6,563
  • NECC $6,990
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BCC 79%
  • 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 Sep 7, 2026
  • NECC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BCC 16:1
  • NECC 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (26%)
    • Health Professions (19%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
    • Business (14%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (6%)
  • 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 $33,100
  • NECC $35,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BCC 52%
  • NECC 47%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BCC $6,250
  • NECC $8,938
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BCC $64
  • 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 73%
  • NECC 50%
  • % Asian
  • BCC 2%
  • NECC 2%
  • % Black
  • BCC 8%
  • NECC 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • BCC 9%
  • NECC 41%
  • % Native American
  • BCC 0%
  • NECC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BCC 0%
  • NECC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BCC 5%
  • NECC 1%
  • % International
  • BCC 0%
  • NECC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BCC 2%
  • NECC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BCC 93%
  • NECC 91%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BCC 1%
  • 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 Yes
  • NECC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • BCC Yes
  • NECC Yes

Comparable Facts

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

Bristol Community College is larger than NECC based on total student enrollment (6,950 students vs. 4,721 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Bristol Community College is located in Fall River, MA (Small City setting); Northern Essex Community College is in Haverhill, MA (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Bristol 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: Bristol Community College 16:1; 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 Bristol Community College than NECC ($5,624 vs. $6,049).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bristol Community College are 20.5% lower than at Northern Essex Community College ($9,547 vs. $12,003).
  • Northern Essex Community College is 15.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than BCC (about $900 more per year; $6,732.00 vs. $5,832.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 16.1% higher at NECC than at Bristol Community College (about $1,740 more per year; $12,516.00 vs. $10,776.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bristol Community College than at Northern Essex Community College (79% vs. 67%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Essex Community College students is 6.5% larger than aid received by Bristol Community College students ($6,990 vs. $6,563).

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.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BCC Sep 7, 2026.

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 $2,100 more per year than BCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,200 vs. $33,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Bristol Community College graduates have a $2,688 lower median loan debt than NECC graduates ($6,250 vs. $8,938).
  • Among borrowers, BCC graduates have an estimated $28 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NECC graduates ($64 vs. $92).
  • More BCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NECC students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 47%)

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.