In this article, we shall carefully highlight the List of Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, the cost of enrolling in one of the best colleges and universities in Massachusetts as well as other frequently asked questions to aid your understanding. Read every detail embedded on this web page carefully for proper clarification.
Massachusetts: An Overview
The “Bay State,” Massachusetts, is a dominant state that occupies little area. Everyone may find something to enjoy in this energetic New England treasure, from the calm beaches of Cape Cod to the historic streets of Boston. Massachusetts, the home of esteemed colleges such as Harvard and MIT, is known as a center for innovation and learning.
Massachusetts’s center offers the ideal fusion of natural beauty, history, and culture, whether you’re hitting the slopes in the Berkshire Mountains, touring the Freedom Trail, or enjoying clam chowder by the seaside.
List of Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts
| Ranking | Colleges | |
| 14 | Amherst College | Amherst |
| 62 | Anna Maria College | Paxton |
| 34 | Assumption University | Worcester |
| 21 | Babson College | Babson Park |
| 52 | Bard College at Simon’s Rock | Great Barrington |
| 53 | Bay Path University | Longmeadow |
| 74 | Bay State College | Boston … |
| 68 | Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology | Boston |
| 25 | Bentley University | Waltham |
| 13 | Berklee College of Music | Boston … |
| 51 | Boston Architectural College | Boston |
| 7 | Boston College | Chestnut Hill |
| 70 | Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis | Brookline … |
| 3 | Boston University | Boston … |
| 8 | Brandeis University | Waltham |
| 27 | Bridgewater State University | Bridgewater |
| 63 | Cambridge College | Boston … |
| 16 | Clark University | Worcester |
| 67 | College of Our Lady of the Elms | Chicopee |
| 24 | College of the Holy Cross | Worcester |
| 77 | Conway School of Landscape Design | Northampton |
| 55 | Curry College | Milton |
| 65 | Dean College | Franklin |
| 61 | Eastern Nazarene College | Quincy |
| 26 | Emerson College | Boston |
| 57 | Emmanuel College | Boston |
| 44 | Endicott College | Beverly |
| 71 | Fisher College | Boston … |
| 47 | Fitchburg State University | Fitchburg |
| 45 | Framingham State University | Framingham |
| 40 | Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering | Needham |
| 35 | Gordon College | Wenham … |
| 28 | Hampshire College | Amherst |
| 2 | Harvard University | Cambridge |
| 66 | Hebrew College | Newton Centre |
| 29 | Hult International Business School | Cambridge … |
| 75 | Labouré College | Milton |
| 64 | Lasell University | Newton |
| 30 | Lesley University | Cambridge … |
| 39 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Boston |
| 54 | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | North Adams |
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge |
| 59 | Massachusetts Maritime Academy | Buzzards Bay |
| 73 | Massachusetts School of Law | Andover |
| 46 | MCPHS University | Boston … |
| 33 | Merrimack College | North Andover |
| 60 | MGH Institute of Health Professions | Boston |
| 69 | Montserrat College of Art | Beverly |
| 15 | Mount Holyoke College | South Hadley |
| 72 | New England College of Optometry | Boston |
| 41 | New England Conservatory | Boston |
| 50 | New England Law | Boston | Boston |
| 48 | Nichols College | Dudley |
| 6 | Northeastern University | Boston … |
| 78 | Northpoint Bible College | Haverhill |
| 36 | Regis College | Weston |
| 32 | Salem State University | Salem |
| 23 | Simmons University | Boston |
| 12 | Smith College | Northampton |
| 37 | Springfield College | Springfield |
| 42 | Stonehill College | Easton |
| 20 | Suffolk University | Boston … |
| 4 | Tufts University | Medford |
| 19 | UMass Chan Medical School | Worcester |
| 5 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst |
| 11 | University of Massachusetts Boston | Boston |
| 22 | University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | North Dartmouth |
| 17 | University of Massachusetts Lowell | Lowell |
| 18 | Wellesley College | Wellesley |
| 43 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | Boston |
| 38 | Western New England University | Springfield … |
| 76 | Westfield State University | Westfield |
| 31 | Wheaton College, Massachusetts | Norton |
| 56 | William James College | Newton |
| 10 | Williams College | Williamstown |
| 9 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester |
| 49 | Worcester State University |
Cost of Enrolling in one of the Best Colleges in Massachusetts
Here are some top colleges in Massachusetts along with their estimated costs and affordability considerations for 2024:
Harvard University:
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $55,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance (including room, board, and other expenses): Around $80,000 per year
Harvard is known for its generous financial aid program. Tuition, room, and board are free for students from families with incomes below $65,000. Harvard also provides substantial aid for families with incomes up to $150,000 or more.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $53,790 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Around $77,000 per year
MIT also offers need-based financial aid. For families earning less than $90,000 per year, tuition is free. Families earning up to $160,000 may qualify for significant aid.
Tufts University:
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $60,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Around $80,000 per year
Tufts meets admitted students’ full demonstrated financial need through a combination of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study.
Boston College:
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $60,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Around $75,000 per year
- Boston College offers need-based financial aid to eligible students.
Northeastern University:
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $54,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Around $75,000 per year
- Northeastern provides need-based aid and offers a range of scholarships and grants.
Amherst College:
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $60,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Around $80,000 per year
- Amherst has a strong commitment to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans.
Williams College:
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $60,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Around $80,000 per year
- Williams also meets 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans.
Smith College:
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $55,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Around $75,000 per year
- Smith provides generous need-based financial aid.
Wellesley College:
- Tuition and Fees: Approximately $60,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Around $80,000 per year
- Wellesley meets the full demonstrated financial need of admitted students.
University of Massachusetts Amherst:
- Tuition and Fees (for in-state students): Approximately $16,000 per year
- Tuition and Fees (for out-of-state students): Approximately $36,000 per year
- Total Cost of Attendance: Varies based on residency status and other factors
- UMass Amherst offers financial aid options for eligible students.
These costs are approximate and can vary based on individual circumstances, including financial aid packages, housing choices, and other expenses. Students and families need to explore the specific financial aid options and affordability measures provided by each institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
The top three colleges in Massachusetts, often considered based on academic reputation, selectivity, faculty quality, research output, and other factors, are:
Harvard University – Located in Cambridge, Harvard is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, offering a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across various disciplines. It’s renowned for its academic excellence, research contributions, and global impact.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Also located in Cambridge, MIT is renowned for its strong emphasis on science, engineering, and technology. It’s consistently ranked among the top universities globally and is known for its cutting-edge research and innovation.
Tufts University – Located in Medford and Somerville, Tufts is a prestigious research university known for its strong programs in areas like international relations, medicine, and engineering. It’s known for its active citizenship and emphasis on interdisciplinary studies.
2. Massachusetts Colleges, Cost and Affordability for 2024
Massachusetts’s average annual in-state college tuition was $29,849 for the 2021-2022 academic year. This is $14,597 higher than the U.S. average and ranks Massachusetts amongst the costliest as the 4th most expensive state or district to attend college.
3. Which Massachusetts college is the largest?
According to NCES, Boston University is the largest university in Massachusetts. Fall 2021 saw almost 36,000 students enrolling at BU. With more than 31,000 students, Harvard was the second-biggest university in the state in 2021.
4. Which Massachusetts institutions are the easiest to get into?
According to NCES, Westfield State University has a 94% admission rate in the autumn of 2021, making it one of the easiest four-year universities in Massachusetts to get into.
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (92%), Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (91%), and Massachusetts Maritime Academy (90%) are some other Massachusetts institutions with admission rates of 90% or above.
5. What is the number of universities and colleges in Massachusetts?