Northern Essex Community College
A good fit for families who need the lowest possible cost and students who prefer a mid-size campus. graduation rate is below 25% — most students don't finish here. a public school with 3,685 students.
About This School
Northern Essex Community College is a public institution located in Haverhill, Massachusetts with approximately 3,685 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $6,046 per year. The graduation rate is 20%, and the typical graduate earns $37,200 within 10 years of enrollment.
Northern Essex Community College (NECC) is a public community college in Essex County, Massachusetts. The college serves residents of the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire. It has campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence. The college is part of the Massachusetts Higher Education system. More than 6,600 students are enrolled in 70 credit associate degree and certificate programs and another 3,400 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley. The school's athletic teams are known as the Knights. Northern Essex Community College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
At just $3,971 per year after aid and a median debt of only $5,661 at graduation, this is one of the more affordable paths to a credential in Massachusetts — a genuine plus for cost-conscious students. The concern worth naming: median earnings of $37,200 a decade out suggest many graduates end up in lower-wage fields, so if you have a specific career target, dig into whether NECC's programs actually align with it. Worth considering as a smart financial starting point, especially if you plan to transfer to a four-year school or enter a local workforce trade.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 11% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Northern Essex Community College graduates earn most above the national rate in Fine and Studio Arts ($44,615 vs $31,650 nationally).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 89 | $46,563 | $44,125 | +$2,438 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 63 | $57,171 | $49,927 | +$7,244 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 25 | $44,872 | $40,734 | +$4,138 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 25 | $52,309 | $46,706 | +$5,603 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 24 | $63,596 | $54,246 | +$9,350 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 24 | $54,167 | $48,733 | +$5,434 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 24 | $75,972 | $65,389 | +$10,583 |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | 23 | $69,844 | $69,455 | +$389 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 18 | $86,929 | $80,813 | +$6,116 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 13 | $58,193 | $47,660 | +$10,533 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 13 | $44,547 | $37,656 | +$6,891 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 12 | $44,615 | $31,650 | +$12,965 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (3,685 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Address
Northern Essex Community College
100 Elliott Street
Haverhill, MA 01830-2399
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Northern Essex Community College is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Northern Essex Community College cost?
The average net price at Northern Essex Community College is about $6,046 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Northern Essex Community College?
Northern Essex Community College has a graduation rate of 20%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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