Bristol Community College vs Middlesex Community College: Which Nursing School Wins on the Numbers?
Two of Massachusetts's biggest nursing schools, side by side — 2025 first-time NCLEX pass rates from the state board of nursing, plus cost, admissions and each school's own nursing-graduate earnings from federal data. Middlesex Community College's best RN program outperformed Bristol Community College's on the 2025 first-time NCLEX (96% vs 82%), while Bristol Community College is the cheaper school on sticker tuition ($5,832 vs $6,048 a year).
| Bristol Community CollegeFall River · Massachusetts · Public | Middlesex Community CollegeLowell · Massachusetts · Public | |
|---|---|---|
| Best 2025 NCLEX-RN pass rate | 82% | 96% |
| In-state tuition / yrsticker, whole institution | $5,832 | $6,048 |
| Avg net price after aid / yr | $5,547 | $2,624 |
| Graduation rate | 23% | 23% |
| Undergraduates | 6,083 | 5,412 |
| ADN grad pay, 1 yr out | $70,855 | $75,351 |
| ADN grad median debt | $9,598 | $12,105 |
Green = better on that row (higher pass rate, pay and graduation rate; lower cost and debt). Acceptance rate and size aren't scored — bigger or more selective isn't better for everyone. “—” = not published for that school.
Want a different matchup? Open this comparison in the interactive tool and swap either school — any two in the country.
The pass-rate gap is a preparation gap
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the higher NCLEX pass rate — Bristol Community College or Middlesex Community College?
Middlesex Community College — 96% vs 82% first-time NCLEX-RN in 2025, per the Massachusetts board of nursing. One year of data; check the trend on each school's page.
Which is cheaper — Bristol Community College or Middlesex Community College?
On published in-state tuition, Bristol Community College ($5,832/yr vs $6,048/yr). After average aid, net prices run $5,547 (Bristol Community College) vs $2,624 (Middlesex Community College).
About this data
Pass rates are 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rates from the Massachusetts board of nursing (each school's best rated RN program). Tuition, net price, admissions, earnings and debt come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release); earnings and debt are program-level figures for each school's own nursing graduates and lag the current class by several years. Full sources are on each school's page.