Public Associate Strong 74/100

Washington County Community College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Calais, Maine

About Washington County Community College

Thinking about Washington County Community College, a college in Maine where more students graduate in Education than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Washington County Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Calais, Maine. It enrolls 443 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
31.5%
Net Price
$5,149
Median Earnings (10yr)
$34,407
Enrollment
443
Student : Faculty
10:1

Accreditor New England Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
74/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 46
Value 81
Affordability 70
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Washington County Community College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.

Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $5,149 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$5,149
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
39%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
7%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,156
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,036
Room & Board (on-campus)
$8,118
Room & Board (off-campus)
$5,819
Books & Supplies
$1,400
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,800
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,013
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,731

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $4,232
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $4,748
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $7,228
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $5,910
  • Over $110,000
    $8,933

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$1,695
10% percentile
$2,750
25% percentile
$6,206
75% percentile
$9,918
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $5,500 —
No Pell $5,500 —
Dependent students $5,500 —
Independent students $5,102 —
Female students $4,409 —
Male students $5,500 —
Pell recipients: 17.5%No Pell: 17.5%Dependent students: 17.5%Independent students: 16.2%Female students: 14.0%Male students: 17.5%Overall Median—
What this means: 39% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.

Graduation Rate & Retention

31% of students who start here finish within six years, and 61% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
31%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
61%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $34,407 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$34,407
Earning > $25K
—
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$30,000$31,000$32,000$34,000$35,0008 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$22,800

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$36,200

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $13,400, about 37% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 29.2 pts across 6 years
48.7%1yr51.3%3yr56.7%5yr78%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 443 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 44% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
443
Part-Time
28%
First-Generation
44%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 69.1% 306
Other 13.8% 61
Black 5.6% 25
Hispanic 3.2% 14
International 0.9% 4
White: 69.1% (306 students)Other: 13.8% (61 students)Black: 5.6% (25 students)Hispanic: 3.2% (14 students)International: 0.9% (4 students)Total443

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Washington County Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Rural: Remote Calais, Maine
Housing
Partly residential 145 beds available
Adult Learners
39% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Construction graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Washington County Community College offers a varied set of programs: 23 distinct programs across 12 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

Faculty & Resources

There are 10 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,235
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$591,441
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$62,916
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

22 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Instructors 22 100% $62,916

Pros & Cons of Washington County Community College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Washington County Community College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Open admissions
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
Best for: Based on the data, Washington County Community College is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Washington County Community College

The questions families ask most about Washington County Community College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Washington County Community College hard to get into?
Not especially. Washington County Community College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Washington County Community College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Washington County Community College cost?
Budget around $5,149 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Washington County Community College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $34,407 a year against a net price of $5,149, about 6.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Washington County Community College known for?
Mostly Electrical and Power Transmission Installers, Teacher Education (K-12), Health Sciences. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Washington County Community College graduates earn?
About $34,407 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Washington County Community College accredited?
Yes. Washington County Community College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Washington County Community College?
443 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Washington County Community College?
31% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Washington County Community College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Washington County Community College located?
Washington County Community College is located in Calais, Maine.
What programs does Washington County Community College offer?
23 different programs, most commonly Electrical and Power Transmission Installers, Teacher Education (K-12), Health Sciences. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Washington County Community College?
10 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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