Why This Matters

  • 22 TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN MASSACHUSETTS

    According to College Navigator, Massachusetts has 22 institutions that offer two-year associate degree programs.

  • $6,773 AVERAGE IN-DISTRICT TUITION & FEES

    During the 2020-21 school year, it was estimated that the average Massachusetts student paid $6,773 in tuition and fees at public in-district community colleges.

  • 76.9% OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID

    Many American students pursuing higher education rely on financial aid. During the 2018-19 school year, 437,899 students enrolled in two-year institutions received some kind of aid, such as scholarships, loans, and work-study opportunities.

Our Research

To create a comprehensive list of the learning opportunities and job training available in Massachusetts, we reviewed private and public community colleges as well as trade, technical, and vocational programs. To make our selections, we reviewed tuition costs, the number of credits required to graduate, and the coursework delivery formats (such as online and in-person).

To guarantee the quality of programs, we focused on accredited institutions. The majority of community colleges on our list are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which serves as a reliable source for validating the quality of an educational program. The commission is made up of faculty and professionals from affiliated institutions and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  • 20hours to write this article
  • 26universities and colleges we assessed
  • 64education programs we compared

The Top 50 Community Colleges in Massachusetts

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What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Massachusetts

When deciding which community college to attend, it’s important to take into account your earning potential. According to 2020 data, the highest-paying careers that require an associate degree in Massachusetts are nuclear technicians, air traffic controllers, radiation therapists, diagnostic medical sonographers, and web developers.

Associate degree holders looking for jobs in Massachusetts should consider which fields have the most job openings. Occupations expected to have the most availability between 2018 to 2028 are preschool teachers, paralegal and legal assistants, physical therapy assistants, electronic engineering technicians, and veterinary technologists.

While deciding between different career options, you should also consider which jobs have low employment rates. This offers guidance on what types of careers you may want to avoid. Occupations projected to have the largest drops in employment over the next 10 years for associate degree holders in Massachusetts include desktop publishers, mechanical drafters, dental hygienists, and human resource assistants.

What’s Next?

For those pursuing financial aid, we have assembled a list of federal and state resources that detail the grants, scholarships, and other opportunities for associate degree students in Massachusetts.

  • Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education provides information about scholarships, grants, loans, and tuition waivers available to Massachusetts residents.
  • Federal Student Aid. The US Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid awards over $120 billion every year to help students fund their education. To check your eligibility for FAFSA, visit the FAFSA4caster. Then, you can apply by filling out the online FAFSA form.
  • CareerOneStop. Sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CareerOneStop provides information about the scholarships and grants available in each state. To navigate this vast library of information, you can apply filters for degree level and state. You’ll then discover helpful information about award amounts, minimum qualifications, and application deadlines.