Northern Essex Community College
Haverhill, MA 01830-2399
About Northern Essex Community College
Northern Essex Community College is a public community college in Haverhill, Massachusetts, serving roughly 3,685 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $6,046 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $6,732. Student demographics in federal data include Hispanic or Latino (49.4%) and White (35.2%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Northern Essex Community College charges 22% above the national public median tuition ($6,732).
- Versus the Massachusetts median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Average net price runs below the Massachusetts median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 20.87%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $42,862.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Northern Essex Community College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1672% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Essex Community College | $6,732 | $6,046 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Massachusetts (state median) | $34,256 | $12,244 | 93 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 10% below published tuition at Northern Essex Community College
Key findings
- Northern Essex Community College's average net price ($6,046) is 10% below published tuition ($6,732).
- Northern Essex Community College charges 22% above the national public median tuition ($6,732).
- Versus the Massachusetts median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Average net price runs below the Massachusetts median net price.
Northern Essex Community College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $6,732
Finding Northern Essex Community College charges 22% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $6,732. That is 22% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Massachusetts median ($34,256), sticker tuition is about 0.2×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.6×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Northern Essex Community College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Northern Essex Community College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Northern Essex Community College is $6,046.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $6,046 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $6,198 below the Massachusetts median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $12,654 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Northern Essex Community College’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 10% lower after grants and scholarships.
Northern Essex Community College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Northern Essex Community College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$6,732
Out-of-state tuition
$12,516
Avg. net price
$6,046
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $5,256 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $4,728 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $6,211 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $6,628 |
| $110,001+ | $12,476 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $26,928. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Northern Essex Community College is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies79
- Business/Commerce, General77
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse35
- Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians, Other34
- Criminal Justice/Police Science34
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Northern Essex Community College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Northern Essex Community College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Northern Essex Community College.
Campus
Location
Haverhill, MA
City / state
- ZIP
- 01830-2399
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is about 0.3× the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- New England
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
Size
Enrollment
3,685
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 7,558
- Full-time share
- 26%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$9,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 46.74%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Northern Essex Community College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Northern Essex Community College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Northern Essex Community College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $3,888 | $9,672 | $8,108 |
| 2014 | $4,320 | $10,104 | $8,047 |
| 2015 | $4,560 | $10,344 | $8,761 |
| 2016 | $4,776 | $10,560 | $8,847 |
| 2017 | $4,992 | $10,776 | $9,428 |
| 2018 | $5,136 | $10,920 | $8,882 |
| 2019 | $5,280 | $11,064 | $8,364 |
| 2020 | $5,544 | $11,328 | $7,439 |
| 2021 | $5,544 | $11,328 | $8,370 |
| 2022 | $5,688 | $11,472 | $7,354 |
| 2023 | $5,688 | $11,472 | $3,971 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Northern Essex Community College reported total enrollment of about 3,685 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 36% male and 64% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (49.4%), White (35.2%), and Black or African American (6.3%). About 46.74% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 50.9% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
25.6% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Northern Essex Community College in 2024 is 3,685 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 7,558 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
61.1%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
9.25% 100% Completion Time
20.87% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 9.25% of students graduating from Northern Essex Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 38% male / 62% female
- Business/Commerce, General: 52% male / 48% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 6% male / 94% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Northern Essex Community College graduates earn a median of $42,862 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Northern Essex Community College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $42,862. Median federal loan debt: $9,000. Average net price used in cost models: $6,046.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Northern Essex Community College graduates report median earnings of $42,862 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Northern Essex Community College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (46 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Northern Essex Community College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Northern Essex Community College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Northern Essex Community College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$9.6M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Massachusetts median 0.15× the median ($62.1M)
- New England median 0.22× the median ($42.9M)
- U.S. median 0.36× the median ($26.4M)
- Massachusetts median 0.13× the median ($30,011)
- New England median 0.17× the median ($23,268)
- U.S. median 0.33× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 53.0%
- Massachusetts median 1.9 pp above median (51.1%)
- New England median 0.2 pp below median (53.3%)
- U.S. median 4.9 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $8,318
- Massachusetts median 0.86× the median ($9,649)
- New England median 0.90× the median ($9,262)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,120
- Massachusetts median 0.73× the median ($11,192)
- New England median 0.80× the median ($10,182)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Northern Essex Community College at a glance
Northern Essex Community College
Northern Essex Community College is a public institution in Haverhill, MA, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesBusiness/Commerce, GeneralRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino49.4%White or Caucasian35.2%Black or African American6.3%
Schools near Northern Essex Community College
Other campuses in Haverhill, MA when available, plus nearby institutions in Massachusetts.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Massachusetts, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Northern Essex Community College located?
Northern Essex Community College is located in Haverhill, MA.
What is Northern Essex Community College's tuition?
Northern Essex Community College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $6,732 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $6,046 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Northern Essex Community College cost?
Reported tuition is $6,732 and average net price is $6,046 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $12,003 annually.
Why is Northern Essex Community College's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Northern Essex Community College, published tuition is $6,732 while average net price is $6,046—about 10% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Northern Essex Community College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($6,046), completion (20.9% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($42,862). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Northern Essex Community College?
Northern Essex Community College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 7,558 students, Hispanic or Latino (49.4%), White (35.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Northern Essex Community College?
About 50.9% of students at Northern Essex Community College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Northern Essex Community College earn?
Median earnings are $36,235 six years after entry and $42,862 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Northern Essex Community College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 20.9% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Northern Essex Community College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $9,000.
Is Northern Essex Community College public or private?
Northern Essex Community College is a public institution located in Haverhill, MA.
Is Northern Essex Community College an HBCU?
No. Northern Essex Community College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Massachusetts college profile
- Massachusetts college costs
- Massachusetts colleges by ROI
- Massachusetts trade schools profile
- Haverhill, Massachusetts city profile
- New England regional profile
- Rural college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Massachusetts
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.