Why This Matters

  • 79 COLLEGES IN MASSACHUSETTS

    According to College Navigator, there are 13 public universities, 65 private non-profit colleges, and one private for-profit institution.

  • $13,990 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    Data published by College Board indicates that bachelor’s degree students paid an average of $13,990 in tuition and fees at public colleges in Massachusetts during the 2021-22 school year.

  • $14,800 IN FINANCIAL AID FOR THE AVERAGE U.S. STUDENT

    In the 2020-21 school year, an average of $14,800 in financial aid was paid to full-time undergraduate students.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar schools in Massachusetts. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), a reputable organization that examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of education programs in the northeastern United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for on-campus students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Colleges in Massachusetts

Best Colleges In Massachusetts
01
Intelligent Pick
Harvard Extension School
01
Best Research Institution
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
01
Best Private Institution
Tufts University
01
Best Faith-based Institution
Boston College
01
Best for Study Abroad
Boston University
01
Best Faculty
Brandeis University
01
Best for Experiential Learning
Northeastern University
01
Best STEM Programs
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
01
Most Affordable
University of Massachusetts Amherst
01
Best for Liberal Arts
Clark University
01

Williams College
01

Simmons University
01

Amherst College
01

University of Massachusetts Lowell
01

Western New England University
01

UMass Boston
01

UMass Dartmouth
01

Wellesley College
01

Lesley University
01

Smith College
01

Babson College
01

Mount Holyoke College

 

What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Massachusetts

Before you decide where you’d like to go to school, it’s important to consider your career options within the state where your top choices are located. In Massachusetts, the top five industries for employment as of October 2021 were education and health services; professional and business services; trade, transportation, and utilities; government; and goods-producing.

The rate of growth in your chosen field is important if you’re looking for a career with growth potential. As of 2022, the fastest-growing occupations in the state for workers with a bachelor’s degree are agents and talent managers, music directors and composers, data scientists, information security analysts, and athletic trainers.

While transportation and healthcare are among the top professions in Massachusetts, there are plenty of opportunities for individuals who have the right education in a variety of fields. This is indicated clearly by the list of the top employers in the state, which includes Massachusetts General Hospital, Staples Inc., and Raytheon Systems International.

What’s Next?

Throughout the U.S., most college students require some financial assistance to pay for school. If you’re planning to apply to colleges in Massachusetts, it’s important to understand what financial help is available to you in the state. Below, we’ve listed some of the grants, scholarships, and student loan programs that undergrad students in Massachusetts can access.

  • Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education Office of Student Financial Assistance provides state-funded financial aid for college students and can help those attending school in the state access additional resources, including federal financial assistance programs.
  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA enables qualified students to access federally funded grants, scholarships, student loans, and work-study opportunities. The FAFSA4caster provides detailed eligibility requirements for interested students. Those who are eligible can apply online.
  • CareerOneStop. CareerOneStop is a search engine that provides students with the tools they need to access a comprehensive list of financial aid options that are available for their specified state and degree level.