US CollegesColleges in Massachusetts: cost, admission and results
96 degree-granting colleges and universities in Massachusetts, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are University of Massachusetts-Amherst (23,671 undergraduates), Boston University (18,248 undergraduates), Northeastern University (17,326 undergraduates).
Massachusetts at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 96
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 30 / 65 / 1
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $40,770
- Median net price a year
- $23,444
- Median admission rate
- 71%
- Median graduation rate
- 63%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $65,950
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American International CollegeSpringfield, MA · Private nonprofit | 100% | $24,178 | 38% | $66,151 |
| Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA · Private nonprofit | 9.0% | $19,536 | 93% | $95,161 |
| Assumption UniversityWorcester, MA · Private nonprofit | 83% | $28,788 | 73% | $73,712 |
| Babson CollegeWellesley, MA · Private nonprofit | 17% | $34,096 | 92% | $138,950 |
| Bay Path UniversityLongmeadow, MA · Private nonprofit | 85% | $16,390 | 42% | $57,958 |
| Bentley UniversityWaltham, MA · Private nonprofit | 45% | $38,969 | 88% | $126,427 |
| Berklee College of MusicBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 44% | $47,587 | 73% | $43,451 |
| Berkshire Community CollegePittsfield, MA · Public | not reported | $8,257 | 31% | $44,851 |
| Boston Baptist CollegeBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 91% | $16,125 | 64% | $42,516 |
| Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit | 16% | $38,930 | 90% | $112,178 |
| Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis IncBrookline, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Boston UniversityBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 11% | $36,503 | 90% | $89,087 |
| Brandeis UniversityWaltham, MA · Private nonprofit | 40% | $30,606 | 81% | $85,519 |
| Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, MA · Public | 88% | $18,061 | 52% | $61,441 |
| Bristol Community CollegeFall River, MA · Public | not reported | $10,095 | 23% | $47,512 |
| Bunker Hill Community CollegeBoston, MA · Public | not reported | $5,976 | 21% | $51,734 |
| Cambridge CollegeBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | $31,462 | 100% | $58,665 |
| Cape Cod Community CollegeWest Barnstable, MA · Public | not reported | $7,964 | 24% | $48,297 |
| Clark UniversityWorcester, MA · Private nonprofit | 40% | $29,446 | 77% | $67,223 |
| College of Our Lady of the ElmsChicopee, MA · Private nonprofit | 85% | $16,237 | 63% | $64,534 |
| College of the Holy CrossWorcester, MA · Private nonprofit | 18% | $38,829 | 86% | $100,485 |
| Conway School of Landscape DesignNorthampton, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Curry CollegeMilton, MA · Private nonprofit | 88% | $30,155 | 50% | $69,321 |
| Dean CollegeFranklin, MA · Private nonprofit | 74% | $32,629 | 53% | $47,982 |
| Emerson CollegeBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 51% | $49,215 | 80% | $67,317 |
| Emmanuel CollegeBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 76% | $27,196 | 64% | $73,794 |
| Endicott CollegeBeverly, MA · Private nonprofit | 71% | $39,219 | 74% | $77,059 |
| FINE Mortuary CollegeNorwood, MA · Private for-profit | not reported | $27,510 | 33% | $62,057 |
| Fisher CollegeBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 71% | $22,042 | 40% | $52,749 |
| Fitchburg State UniversityFitchburg, MA · Public | 87% | $13,803 | 53% | $63,428 |
| Framingham State UniversityFramingham, MA · Public | 84% | $15,951 | 46% | $63,249 |
| Franklin W Olin College of EngineeringNeedham, MA · Private nonprofit | 25% | $17,057 | 96% | $138,832 |
| Gordon CollegeWenham, MA · Private nonprofit | 69% | $25,227 | 71% | $59,863 |
| Gordon-Conwell Theological SeminarySouth Hamilton, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Greenfield Community CollegeGreenfield, MA · Public | not reported | $7,949 | 44% | $47,015 |
| Hampshire CollegeAmherst, MA · Private nonprofit | 75% | $23,030 | 58% | $47,422 |
| Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · Private nonprofit | 3.6% | $19,148 | 97% | $121,957 |
| Hebrew CollegeNewton, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Hellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of TheologyBrookline, MA · Private nonprofit | 80% | $19,821 | 38% | $62,251 |
| Holyoke Community CollegeHolyoke, MA · Public | not reported | $6,427 | 35% | $44,609 |
| Hult International Business SchoolCambridge, MA · Private nonprofit | 60% | $47,733 | 60% | not reported |
| Laboure College of HealthcareMilton, MA · Private nonprofit | 50% | not reported | not reported | $84,123 |
| Lasell UniversityNewton, MA · Private nonprofit | 81% | $26,341 | 64% | $64,330 |
| Lesley UniversityCambridge, MA · Private nonprofit | 97% | $31,777 | 42% | $57,844 |
| MGH Institute of Health ProfessionsBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $89,549 |
| Massachusetts Bay Community CollegeWellesley Hills, MA · Public | not reported | $1,756 | 26% | $55,472 |
| Massachusetts College of Art and DesignBoston, MA · Public | 76% | $26,397 | 59% | $52,923 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsNorth Adams, MA · Public | 90% | $11,402 | 47% | $52,507 |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 85% | $43,891 | 61% | $103,156 |
| Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · Private nonprofit | 4.5% | $14,815 | 96% | $152,553 |
| Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, MA · Public | 95% | $23,759 | 73% | $104,098 |
| Massachusetts School of LawAndover, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Massasoit Community CollegeBrockton, MA · Public | not reported | $6,492 | 25% | $50,480 |
| Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, MA · Private nonprofit | 70% | $39,219 | 69% | $74,412 |
| Middlesex Community CollegeBedford, MA · Public | not reported | $3,970 | 26% | $54,021 |
| Montserrat College of ArtBeverly, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | $35,385 | 63% | $40,733 |
| Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth Hadley, MA · Private nonprofit | 36% | $30,861 | 82% | $66,117 |
| Mount Wachusett Community CollegeGardner, MA · Public | not reported | $4,452 | 33% | $46,748 |
| New England College of OptometryBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| New England Law-BostonBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Nichols CollegeDudley, MA · Private nonprofit | 81% | $31,983 | 54% | $66,716 |
| North Shore Community CollegeDanvers, MA · Public | not reported | $5,287 | 24% | $51,866 |
| Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 5.2% | $17,850 | 91% | $99,371 |
| Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $99,371 |
| Northern Essex Community CollegeHaverhill, MA · Public | not reported | $6,427 | 28% | $49,727 |
| Quincy CollegeQuincy, MA · Public | not reported | $16,530 | 17% | $55,527 |
| Quinsigamond Community CollegeWorcester, MA · Public | not reported | $6,588 | 23% | $51,435 |
| Regis CollegeWeston, MA · Private nonprofit | 70% | $25,506 | 71% | $69,534 |
| Roxbury Community CollegeRoxbury Crossing, MA · Public | not reported | $11,168 | 33% | $46,578 |
| Saint John's SeminaryBrighton, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Salem State UniversitySalem, MA · Public | 96% | $12,921 | 49% | $62,762 |
| Sattler CollegeBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 69% | not reported | 68% | not reported |
| Simmons UniversityBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 70% | $23,444 | 77% | $79,784 |
| Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA · Private nonprofit | 21% | $25,519 | 86% | $69,936 |
| Springfield CollegeSpringfield, MA · Private nonprofit | 72% | $28,053 | 71% | $59,623 |
| Springfield College-Regional Online and Continuing EducationSpringfield, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $59,623 |
| Springfield Technical Community CollegeSpringfield, MA · Public | not reported | $2,020 | 36% | $45,410 |
| Stonehill CollegeEaston, MA · Private nonprofit | 66% | $36,082 | 74% | $84,633 |
| Suffolk UniversityBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 82% | $40,008 | 59% | $75,345 |
| The New England Conservatory of MusicBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 41% | $50,840 | 74% | $40,481 |
| Tufts UniversityMedford, MA · Private nonprofit | 11% | $38,797 | 94% | $89,187 |
| University of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolWorcester, MA · Public | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA · Public | 60% | $22,857 | 81% | $80,486 |
| University of Massachusetts-BostonBoston, MA · Public | 84% | $22,548 | 51% | $70,597 |
| University of Massachusetts-DartmouthNorth Dartmouth, MA · Public | 91% | $20,319 | 49% | $68,878 |
| University of Massachusetts-LowellLowell, MA · Public | 83% | $17,362 | 69% | $77,989 |
| Urban College of BostonBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | $9,953 | not reported | $37,211 |
| Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA · Private nonprofit | 14% | $23,995 | 91% | $90,458 |
| Wentworth Institute of TechnologyBoston, MA · Private nonprofit | 91% | $30,134 | 63% | $94,995 |
| Western New England UniversitySpringfield, MA · Private nonprofit | 83% | $27,077 | 64% | $81,107 |
| Westfield State UniversityWestfield, MA · Public | 81% | $16,484 | 49% | $63,082 |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts)Norton, MA · Private nonprofit | 68% | $31,147 | 72% | $71,967 |
| William James CollegeNewton, MA · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA · Private nonprofit | 8.2% | $15,157 | 95% | $95,954 |
| Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MA · Private nonprofit | 60% | $43,885 | 90% | $113,513 |
| Worcester State UniversityWorcester, MA · Public | 88% | $13,866 | 57% | $65,784 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of Massachusetts in brief
Of the 96 colleges listed for Massachusetts, 30 are public, 65 are private nonprofit and 1 is private for-profit. By level, 70 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 19 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 7 mainly award graduate degrees. Together they teach about 305,266 undergraduates, 47% of them at public colleges. The three largest, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Boston University and Northeastern University, hold 19% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 2,300 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Boston (22), Worcester (7) and Springfield (5).
What college costs in Massachusetts
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $7,755 a year for students from Massachusetts and $13,059 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $52,420. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at Massachusetts Bay Community College ($1,756) and Springfield Technical Community College ($2,020) and the highest at The New England Conservatory of Music ($50,840) and Emerson College ($49,215). The median net price across the state, $23,444, is 35% above the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
63 of the 96 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Harvard University (3.6% admitted), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (4.5% admitted) and Northeastern University (5.2% admitted). 33 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 20 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at Cambridge College (100%), Harvard University (97%) and Franklin W Olin College of Engineering (96%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 63%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($152,553), Babson College ($138,950) and Franklin W Olin College of Engineering ($138,832). The state median for that measure is $65,950, 24% above the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $22,089 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in Massachusetts
How many colleges are there in Massachusetts?
This site lists 96 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in Massachusetts, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in Massachusetts?
University of Massachusetts-Amherst in Amherst, with about 23,671 undergraduate students.
Which college in Massachusetts has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, Massachusetts Bay Community College: students with federal aid paid an average of $1,756 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.