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QCC Named 5th Best Online Associate Degree Program in the Nation
Contact: Karen Hutner
Office of Institutional Communications
khutner [at] qcc.mass.edu
Release Date:
11/2/2020
WORCESTER, MA—November 2, 2020 —Quinsigamond Community College’s online Associate degree programs were named the fifth best return on investment (ROI) in the country.
According to OnlineU, an unbiased rankings organization that compares all online colleges and universities in the country, QCC was the only community college listed in the top five, and one of only two community colleges in the country to make the top 10 in the 2020 list.
“Our programs are some of the most affordable and lucrative in the country as shown in this national ranking study. Our online programs are as robust as our in-person programs, without any additional cost differential. At QCC, our goal is 100 percent student success for all, and part of attaining that success means making sure our students have an affordable education that leads them into a productive future,” President Dr. Luis Pedraja said.
The rankings include an annual tuition comparison of each school, based on out-of-state tuition rates, unless in-state rates are offered to all students. QCC’s ROI ranking of 95.9% is based on its out-of -state annual tuition. QCC’s Fall 2020 out-of-state tuition is $411 per credit, as compared to its in-state tuition rate of $205 per credit.
College and university online programs are also ranked based on the median salary and mean debt numbers found in the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, as well as graduates’ salaries and debt payments for 10 years after graduation accounting for standard salary growth, and interest on debt payments. Each school is then given an "ROI score," that reflects how the salary and debt of the programs compare to similar ones.
“It’s particularly gratifying to receive this acknowledgement as we continue with remote instruction due to the pandemic. It is validation of all the work that our faculty and staff do to help our students,” President Pedraja said.
For more information about QCC, contact Josh Martin, Director of Institutional Communications at 508.854.7513 or jmartin [at] qcc.mass.edu
Quinsigamond Community College is the most affordable higher education in Worcester County. As a regional leader in education and workforce development, QCC serves the diverse educational needs of Central Massachusetts by providing affordable, accessible, and high quality programming leading to transfer, career, and lifelong learning.