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UMass Amherst vs Waubonsee Community College 2026
Who is it for? University of Massachusetts Amherst may fit applicants comparing a smaller set of scholarships with higher average and maximum award amounts, while Waubonsee Community College may appeal to students seeking a much larger number of currently open scholarship opportunities. Both schools show a mix of need-based and merit-based aid, but Waubonsee leans more heavily toward merit by percentage.
Institution A
Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Institution B
Illinois
Waubonsee Community College
Quick comparison
Scholarships in catalog
University of Massachusetts Amherst
47
Waubonsee Community College
156
Avg. award (where known)
University of Massachusetts Amherst
$1,828
Waubonsee Community College
$953
Max award (index signal)
University of Massachusetts Amherst
$5,000
Waubonsee Community College
$3,500
Open deadlines share
University of Massachusetts Amherst
2%
Waubonsee Community College
0%
Merit vs need (approx.)
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Merit 55.3% / Need 44.7%
Waubonsee Community College
Merit 61.5% / Need 38.5%
Public reference data
College cost & outcomes
Official-style college facts matched by school name and state. These figures are separate from ScholarshipTop scholarship totals in the comparison table above.
Visual comparison
In-state tuition
Annual, before aidOut-of-state tuition
Annual, before aidMedian earnings
10 years after entryCompletion rate
Share completing within timeAdmission rate
Share admittedResearch activity comparison
Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.
Works count
OpenAlexCitation count
OpenAlexNIH projects
NIH RePORTER aggregateCity rent and wage comparison
Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.
Latest rent estimate
Zillow ZORIHUD 1BR FMR
HUD FMRHUD 2BR FMR
HUD FMRUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst
In-state tuition
$17,772
Annual, before aid
Out-of-state tuition
$40,449
Annual, before aid
Admission rate
59.7%
Completion rate
83.3%
Median earnings
$71,631
10 years after entry
Enrollment
23,671
Undergraduate headcount
Research and institution context
Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.
Works count
123,246
Citation count
10,858,878
NIH projects
2,890
NIH funding band
$250M-$1B
Public research indicators are available from OpenAlex and NIH RePORTER aggregates.
City rent and wage context
Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.
Amherst, MA | Springfield, MA
Latest rent estimate
$2,570
2026-04
12-mo rent change
+5.0%
Zillow ZORI
HUD 1BR FMR
$1,688
Planning estimate
HUD 2BR FMR
$2,161
Planning estimate
- Public metro rent estimates are available for relocation and cost-of-attendance planning; local lease costs can vary within the metro area.
Waubonsee Community College
In-state tuition
$3,504
Annual, before aid
Out-of-state tuition
$10,477
Annual, before aid
Median earnings
$44,788
10 years after entry
Enrollment
5,721
Undergraduate headcount
Research and institution context
Public research indicators can help compare academic activity; they do not imply scholarship eligibility.
Works count
264
Citation count
354
ROR identity
03dfsfy59
OpenAlex identity
I2799804793
Public research indicators are available from OpenAlex.
City rent and wage context
Public rent and wage estimates can help compare cost of attendance and relocation planning.
Sugar Grove, IL
HUD 1BR FMR
$794
Planning estimate
HUD 2BR FMR
$1,002
Planning estimate
- HUD fair-market rent estimates are available as planning context; use them alongside school cost and scholarship amount.
Sources: College Scorecard, OpenAlex, and ROR where matched. Figures may lag the current academic year; verify on the institution site.
Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.
Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.
2026 scholarship comparison overview
University of Massachusetts Amherst reports 47 total grants, with 9 currently open. Waubonsee Community College reports 156 total grants, and all 156 are listed as open. For aid mix, UMass Amherst shows 44.7% need-based and 55.3% merit-based scholarships, while Waubonsee shows 38.5% need-based and 61.5% merit-based scholarships.
On award size, UMass Amherst has a higher average scholarship amount at 1828.44 and a higher maximum listed award at 5000. Waubonsee Community College shows an average amount of 953.39 and a maximum of 3500. Average credibility is 58.09 for UMass Amherst and 55.03 for Waubonsee.
For essay-related planning, both schools have 0 scholarships with essay fields recorded in the structured data. However, the linked scholarship titles suggest many essay-oriented opportunities at both institutions, so applicants should expect to review individual scholarship requirements carefully rather than relying only on summary fields.
Writing efforts
University of Massachusetts Amherst
For University of Massachusetts Amherst, the structured data lists 0 essay grants and no essay field themes. Still, the linked scholarship titles repeatedly reference essay guidance across a wide range of named awards, with themes that appear to span internships, creativity, study abroad, departmental scholarships, memorial scholarships, and financial aid-related awards. Factually, this suggests applicants may need to tailor writing to many distinct scholarship contexts even though no standardized essay-theme dataset is recorded.
Waubonsee Community College
For Waubonsee Community College, the structured data also lists 0 essay grants and no essay field themes. However, the linked titles show many essay-focused scholarship pages tied to memorial, nursing, banking, community, foundation, and general institutional scholarships. Factually, that points to broad writing effort across numerous individual awards, especially given the large number of open grants.
Top grants by university
Largest active university-linked grants first. Each side shows the top three opportunities currently indexed for that school.
The Internship Award
Communication and Journalism students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $5,000 and a 04.15.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
Family Nursing Scholarship
Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $3,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
M. Sullivan Scholarship
Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $4,000 and a 04.15.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
Annual Scholarship
Business Management and Marketing students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $2,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
The J. Bacherman Internship Scholarship
Communication and Journalism students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $3,500 and a 04.15.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
Community College Faculty Council Awards Endowed Academic Scholarship
Education students can compare this scholarship with a listed award of $2,500 and a 05.04.26 deadline while planning eligibility fit and required materials.
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Not sure about the location?
Compare Massachusetts vs Illinois scholarship markets to see how the broader state climate changes the funding picture.
FAQ
Which school has more scholarships currently open?
Which school shows higher average scholarship amounts?
Are these schools more need-based or merit-based?
Do the data confirm essay requirements?
Sources and official pages
Official university and high-authority pages used to support this comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- Peterson’s College Search - high-authority reference
More guides around this comparison
Internal reading paths for students comparing University of Massachusetts Amherst and Waubonsee Community College, with extra scholarship context and essay-writing support.
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