Massachusetts’ Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
What are the best colleges and universities in Massachusetts if you reward schools for making the best use of their limited resources? Academic Stewardship asks how effectively schools manage their financial and human resources to gain the influence that makes them academically excellent. Schools that are exemplary in Academic Stewardship are doing everything in their power to help students and faculty achieve their full potential.
Colleges and universities in Massachusetts deserve to be recognized when they do more with less. It’s impressive when a large wealthy school can spend money lavishly on expensive buildings and programs. But it’s even more impressive when a small school with limited means is able to train and inspire students that the larger wealthier schools tend to ignore.
The American Association of Colleges and Universities reported in late 2021 that almost 75 percent of higher-education professionals at US colleges and universities felt financial constraints prevented their schools from effectively attracting students. Distracted by the size and amenities of larger schools, prospective students tended especially to be overawed by the big research universities.
Massachusetts’ smaller colleges, especially its liberal arts colleges, need effective ways of communicating their value to a world that celebrates “bigger is better” and “you need the best.” Unfortunately, most college ranking companies, such as U.S. News & World Report, define “best” in a way that devalues schools with smaller budgets and fewer students even when these schools do remarkable work in advancing their students’ education. By and large, college rankings penalize schools that serve underserved populations.
Inspired by Malcolm Gladwell, who for years now has criticized conventional college rankings for misrepresenting what’s good and valuable in education, we decided to construct a new ranking metric that highlights those schools that do more with less. That metric—called the Academic Stewardship metric—takes away both the size and the wealth advantage of schools, and focuses instead on how well schools use the resources available to them to advance the education of their students.
How We Measure the Academic Stewardship of Massachusetts’ Colleges and Universities
As a metric, Academic Stewardship is defined by a precise mathematical formula, which can be found in our Academic Stewardship white paper. Measuring the Academic Stewardship of Massachusetts’ colleges requires measuring two forms of stewardship: 1) Stewardship of financial resources (using the money they have responsibility without waste) and 2) Stewardship of human resources (doing their best to help students, faculty, and administration to flourish). Together, these two types of stewardship form what we call Academic Stewardship. If you want to learn more about the factors involved in Academic Stewardship, click the more button below.
- Stewardship of financial resources: To determine a school’s stewardship of financial resources, we factored in its undergraduate size, budget, endowments and reserves, as well as tuition and fees. All these data are available from the National Center for Educational Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. In addition, we factored in a school’s financial responsibility as gauged by the Federal Student Aid Office at the US Department of Education through its financial responsibility composite scores.
- Stewardship of human resources: To determine a school’s stewardship of human resources, we used our InfluenceRanking engine to track the influence of the school’s faculty and alumni but also to control for size of the undergraduate student body. We’ve found that measuring a school’s influence based on the contributions of faculty and alumni make in their fields of study but then also controlling for size of the undergraduate population is the single best indicator of academic excellence. We call this Concentrated Influence. Schools that rank highly in Concentrated Influence are schools that, given their available human resources, invest heavily in their students and faculty, and the results are demonstrable.
- We measure the influence of colleges and universities based on the publications and citations of the schools’ faculty and alumni who are teaching in and working in areas related to their degrees. To do this, we take publicly available databases, such as Semantic Scholar, Crossref, and Wikipedia and use these to measure the influence of academics in their disciplines. Having measured the influence of persons, we then identify the schools that they’re affiliated with, adding up the influence scores of the faculty and alumni to measure the influence of the schools and their disciplinary programs. Finally, we control these influence scores by size of undergraduate student body so that schools do not score high in influence simply because of a size advantage. We lay out these methodological considerations on our methodology page.
- Academic Stewardship: Having measured a school’s stewardship of financial and human resources in the two previous points, we now divide the second measure by the first to define the Academic Stewardship metric. This metric spotlights smaller schools, with fewer financial resources and people, that invest wisely and do proportionately better in building influence than large wealthy schools. Many of these smaller, less wealthy schools are incentivized to make better use of their resources but would never get recognized in conventional school rankings, which directly or indirectly put a premium on the wealth of schools.
Academic Stewardship as so defined is connected to keeping tuition and other costs down, but it should not be confused with affordability or frugality. The schools that this metric ranks as exemplary academic stewards tend to be all over the map when it comes to tuition and other costs. At issue is the influence of schools given the financial and human resources they have on hand. If a school is going to charge more for tuition, then that needs to be reflected in the school having proportionately greater influence.
Why Academic Stewardship Matters to Students and Their Families
The benefits of attending a school with strong academic stewardship include:
- A clear reason for why students are at the school in the first place. Without the distraction of amenities and luxuries, these schools are at once unpretentious but also passionately committed to their educational mission. The schools in this ranking are financially efficient and academically rigorous. By avoiding frills, these schools take the most direct path to accomplishing their mission of educating students.
- Valuing character over prestige and self-indulgence. A school that’s a good steward of its resources doesn’t instill shame in its students over what they are missing (such as elite cuisine) but rather pride in what they have and making the most of it. These schools exhibit a culture of good stewardship, which tends to build good character in the students that attend these schools.
- Avoiding the spoiled-student syndrome. It’s easy to think that offering students endless options and opportunities will enrich their time at school in every way. But spoiling people—whether in business, sports, or academics—has the opposite effect, causing people to take their advantages for granted and in the end achieving less than they might otherwise, a point well-documented in Daniel Coyle’s The Talent Code. Schools exhibiting academic stewardship avoid this pitfall.
- The best schools vs. the schools that help students to be their best. Students at schools demonstrating outstanding academic stewardship aren’t so much concerned about being at the “best” school, whatever that may mean, as about being at a school that helps them to be their best. These schools pay attention to their students, hoping that any glory goes to them rather than to the school. Small schools, and especially liberal arts colleges, help themselves by communicating this advantage to prospective students.
- Emphasizing development over talent and achievement. Schools like Harvard and Stanford have their pick of academic talent, and their students have a long record of achievement even before they apply to such elite schools. But if a school doesn’t have the resources of a Harvard or Stanford, how does it build a great team of students? In that case, it must focus on student development. Colleges exemplifying academic stewardship emphasize student growth and development, ensuring that the schools are doing everything in their power to help students reach their full potential and thereby become their best selves.
Massachusetts’ Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
- #2 Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #8 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
62%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Hampshire College
Cost of Degree: $54,452Expenses: $16,922Starting Salary: $39,900Cost Recoup Time: 22 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Hampshire College known for?
Hampshire College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Mathematics
- Communications
- History
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #4 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #6 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #20 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2024 #21 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
Other Rankings
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #1 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
- #8 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #9 Best Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for English Degrees
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Economics Degree
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Chemistry Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Political Science Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Computer Science Degrees 2024
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Physics Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for History Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for a Biology Degree
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy Degrees
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earth Sciences Degree
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Anthropology Degrees
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Sociology Degrees
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Religious Studies Degrees
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Math Degrees
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
92%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1495/33
Career Outlook for degree at Amherst College
Cost of Degree: $64,100Expenses: $19,550Starting Salary: $83,300Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Amherst College known for?
Amherst College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Economics
- Literature
- Law
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- History
- Religious Studies
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #18 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #5 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #9 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2024 #10 Best Grad Schools in Massachusetts 2024
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
79%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1250/29
Career Outlook for degree at Clark University
Cost of Degree: $52,352Expenses: $12,914Starting Salary: $54,700Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Clark University known for?
Clark University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #22 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #25 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #7 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
85%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1385/28
Career Outlook for degree at Mount Holyoke College
Cost of Degree: $58,498Expenses: $19,180Starting Salary: $53,900Cost Recoup Time: 20 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Mount Holyoke College known for?
Mount Holyoke College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Education
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Political Science
- History
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Anthropology
Most Influential Alumni
- #4 Best Christian Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #6 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #15 Best Online Master's Programs in Massachusetts 2024
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
72%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/24
Career Outlook for degree at Gordon College
Cost of Degree: $27,040Expenses: $14,350Starting Salary: $47,700Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Gordon College known for?
Gordon College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Communications
- Physics
- Literature
- History
- Social Work
- Political Science
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
Gordon College ’s Online Degrees
BA in Accounting
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Business Administration
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Finance
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #5 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #7 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #23 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2024 #24 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
Other Rankings
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #2 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #9 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #10 Best Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Anthropology Degrees
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for History Degrees
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Math Degrees
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Political Science Degrees
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Physics Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Religious Studies Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for English Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Economics Degree
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy Degrees
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earth Sciences Degree
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for a Biology Degree
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Sociology Degrees
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Chemistry Degrees
- #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Degrees
- #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Computer Science Degrees 2024
- #15 The Fastest Traditional MBA Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
94%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Williams College
Cost of Degree: $61,770Expenses: $19,230Starting Salary: $89,800Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Williams College known for?
Williams College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Economics
- Political Science
- History
- Physics
- Religious Studies
- Chemistry
- Anthropology
- Philosophy
- Sociology
Most Influential Alumni
- #8 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #9 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #3 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
Other Rankings
- #10 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Education Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Sociology Degrees
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy Degrees
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Political Science Degrees
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Physics Degrees
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Degrees
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Anthropology Degrees
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Economics Degree
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for History Degrees
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for a Biology Degree
- #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Religious Studies Degrees
- #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Math Degrees
- #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for English Degrees
- #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earth Sciences Degree
- #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Computer Science Degrees 2024
- #11 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Chemistry Degrees
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
16%
Graduation
92%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1435/32
Career Outlook for degree at Wellesley College
Cost of Degree: $61,920Expenses: $21,130Starting Salary: $71,800Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Wellesley College known for?
Wellesley College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Political Science
- Physics
- Education
- Economics
- History
- Psychology
- Anthropology
Most Influential Alumni
- #13 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #14 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #4 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
Other Rankings
- #9 Best Grad Schools in Massachusetts 2024
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Education Degrees
- #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for English Degrees
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Political Science Degrees
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Sociology Degrees
- #16 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Engineering Degrees
- #18 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Degrees
- #19 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Math Degrees
- #20 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for History Degrees
- #23 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for a Biology Degree
- #24 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Economics Degree
- #25 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Anthropology Degrees
- #25 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Chemistry Degrees
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
30%
Graduation
91%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Smith College
Cost of Degree: $58,768Expenses: $23,366Starting Salary: $51,100Cost Recoup Time: 21 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Smith College known for?
Smith College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Literature
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Education
- Political Science
- History
- Physics
- Anthropology
- Philosophy
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$58K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
73%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1265/29
Career Outlook for degree at Wheaton College
Cost of Degree: $60,230Expenses: $16,800Starting Salary: $55,500Cost Recoup Time: 19 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Wheaton College known for?
Wheaton College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #21 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024 #24 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2024 #25 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024 #5 Best Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
Other Rankings
- #5 Best Grad Schools in Massachusetts 2024
- #5 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #5 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2024
- #2 Best Online Master's Programs in Massachusetts 2024
- #3 Best Online Master's in Project Management
- #4 Best Online Master’s in Health Informatics
- #7 Best Online Master's in Marketing and Advertising
- #12 The Best Online MBA Degree Programs in 2024 Ranked for Students
- #12 Best Online Master's Programs 2024
- #16 Fastest Online Master's Degrees Ranked for Students in 2024
- #2 How to Earn Your Master's Degree Without Your Bachelor's Degree
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
88%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
Career Outlook for degree at Brandeis University
Cost of Degree: $62,322Expenses: $19,592Starting Salary: $69,000Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Brandeis University known for?
Brandeis University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Economics
- Political Science
- Physics
- History
- Literature
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #1 50 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities 2024 #19 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #21 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #22 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
43%
Graduation
93%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1360/30
Career Outlook for degree at College of the Holy Cross
Cost of Degree: $58,360Expenses: $18,520Starting Salary: $88,600Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is College of the Holy Cross known for?
College of the Holy Cross’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Literature
- History
- Psychology
- Communications
- Education
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
85%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Stonehill College
Cost of Degree: $50,762Expenses: $17,600Starting Salary: $66,800Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Stonehill College known for?
Stonehill College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Business
- Religious Studies
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
73%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1250/24
Career Outlook for degree at Springfield College
Cost of Degree: $41,694Expenses: $17,270Starting Salary: $48,500Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Springfield College known for?
Springfield College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #11 Best Online Master's Programs in Massachusetts 2024 #13 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #24 Best Online Bachelor's in Psychology Degree Programs for Students
Tuition + fees
$30K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
60%
Student body
5K
Career Outlook for degree at Lesley University
Cost of Degree: $31,364Expenses: $21,988Starting Salary: $40,500Cost Recoup Time: 19 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Lesley University known for?
Lesley University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Psychology
- Literature
- Communications
- Education
- Political Science
- Medical
- History
- Biology
- Sociology
- Mathematics
Most Influential Alumni
Lesley University’s Online Degrees
BA in Liberal Studies
Degree Concentrations
- Business Management
- Marketing Or Nonprofit Management
- Human Services
- Marketing Or Nonprofit Management
- Human Services
- Development Psychology
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in User Experience
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Human Services
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Interdisciplinary Humanities
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
63%
Student body
4K
Career Outlook for degree at Western New England University
Cost of Degree: $44,500Expenses: $17,730Starting Salary: $61,300Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Western New England University known for?
Western New England University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Law
- Business
- Education
- Political Science
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #5 Best Public Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #6 Most Affordable Colleges in Massachusetts Ranked for Students in 2024 #10 Best Online Master's Programs in Massachusetts 2024 #14 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
61%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/22
Career Outlook for degree at Westfield State University
Cost of Degree: $11,500Expenses: $16,906Starting Salary: $48,900Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Westfield State University known for?
Westfield State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Biology
- Education
- Political Science
- Criminal Justice
- Economics
- Psychology
- Communications
- Literature
- History
Most Influential Alumni
Westfield State University’s Online Degrees
BS in Accounting
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Finance
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Management
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Marketing
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in History
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Liberal Studies
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Sociology
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #1 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #3 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024 #3 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2024 #3 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
Other Rankings
- #3 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2024
- #3 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
- #4 Best Universities in the World 2024
- #8 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
- #2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
- #2 Best Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #2 Best Grad Schools in Massachusetts 2024
- #2 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #2 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2024
- #1 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
- #1 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
- #2 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
- #2 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
- #2 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
- #2 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
- #3 Best Research Universities for Business Degrees
- #3 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
- #4 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
- #5 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
- #8 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
- #9 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
- #10 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
- #13 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
- #13 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
- #15 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
- #17 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
- #3 Top 20 Best Business Schools for MBAs Ranked for Students
- #6 The Best Traditional MBA Programs Ranked for Students in 2024
- #8 Best Schools in the World for Earning an MBA Degree Ranked for 2024
- #11 The Fastest Traditional MBA Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
96%
Student body
12K
Median SAT/ACT
1545/35
Career Outlook for degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cost of Degree: $57,986Expenses: $21,864Starting Salary: $153,600Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Massachusetts Institute of Technology known for?
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Economics
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Earth Sciences
- Business
- Biology
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
51%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1040/22
Career Outlook for degree at Framingham State University
Cost of Degree: $11,380Expenses: $16,740Starting Salary: $49,000Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Framingham State University known for?
Framingham State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Biology
- Business
- Political Science
- Economics
- History
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Literature
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #5 20 Best Online Master's of Speech Pathology Degree Programs #9 10 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Speech Pathology
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
45%
Graduation
79%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1285/29
Career Outlook for degree at Emerson College
Cost of Degree: $52,496Expenses: $24,138Starting Salary: $51,200Cost Recoup Time: 20 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Emerson College known for?
Emerson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #4 Most Affordable Colleges in Massachusetts Ranked for Students in 2024 #4 Best Public Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #3 Best Online Bachelor’s of Gender Studies Degree Programs for 2024 #4 Best Online Bachelor’s in Public Administration Degree Programs for 2024
Other Rankings
- #7 Best Online MBA Programs in Massachusetts
- #8 Best Online Master's Programs in Massachusetts 2024
- #8 Best Online Bachelor's of Finance Degree Programs for 2024
- #9 Best Online Bachelor's in Anthropology
- #9 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
- #10 Best Online Bachelor's of English Degree Programs for 2024
- #10 Best Online MBA in Supply Chain Management Ranked for Students in 2024
- #10 Best Online Bachelor's of Economics Degree Programs for 2024
- #10 Best Online Bachelor's in Sociology Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
- #10 Best Online MBA in Accounting Degree Programs
- #13 Best Online Bachelor’s in Marketing and Advertising Degree Programs for 2024
- #17 Best Online MBAs in Finance
- #18 Best Online Bachelor's in Accounting
- #19 Best Online Bachelor’s of History Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
- #19 Best Online Master's in Computer Science Degree Programs
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
54%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1090/23
Career Outlook for degree at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Cost of Degree: $14,854Expenses: $19,665Starting Salary: $51,500Cost Recoup Time: 12 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is University of Massachusetts Dartmouth known for?
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s Online Degrees
BS in Accounting
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Economics
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Finance
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in General Business Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Management-Leadership
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Marketing
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Operations Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Management Information Systems
Degree Concentrations
- E-Commerce/Digital Business
- Technology & Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in English Literature And Criticism
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in History
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Liberal Arts
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Political Science
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Public Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Public Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Sociology And Anthropology
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Women'S And Gender Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Healthcare Services Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Medical Laboratory Science
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Nursing
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees #22 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Business Degrees in 2024 #5 Best Online MBA Programs in Massachusetts
Tuition + fees
$42K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
60%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1106/23
Career Outlook for degree at Suffolk University
Cost of Degree: $43,332Expenses: $22,132Starting Salary: $59,900Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Suffolk University known for?
Suffolk University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
72%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1185/25
Career Outlook for degree at Wentworth Institute of Technology
Cost of Degree: $38,760Expenses: $18,620Starting Salary: $67,300Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Wentworth Institute of Technology known for?
Wentworth Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #10 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2024 #4 Best Online MBA Programs in Massachusetts #6 Best Online Master's Programs in Massachusetts 2024 #6 Best Online Master’s in Information Technology
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
87%
Student body
8K
Career Outlook for degree at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Cost of Degree: $56,896Expenses: $18,944Starting Salary: $84,600Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Worcester Polytechnic Institute known for?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #3 Best Online Bachelor's in Social Work Degree Programs Ranked for 2024 #4 Top 8 Best Online Applied Behavioral Analysis PhDs (Doctorates) #4 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #4 Top 15 Most Affordable Online Social Work PhDs (Doctorates)
Other Rankings
- #9 Most Affordable Online Applied Behavioral Analysis PhD Programs
- #10 Best Online Master's in Social Work MSW
- #12 Best Online Master's Programs in Massachusetts 2024
- #14 Best Online Master's in Nursing MSN
- #16 Best Online Master's in Behavior Analysis Degree Programs
- #20 Best Online Bachelor’s of Communications Degree Programs for 2024
- #21 Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Science Degree Programs
Tuition + fees
$43K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
71%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/26
Career Outlook for degree at Simmons University
Cost of Degree: $44,350Expenses: $20,198Starting Salary: $58,400Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Simmons University known for?
Simmons University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Social Work
- Literature
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Sociology
- Medical
- Economics
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
Simmons University’s Online Degrees
BSBA in Business And Management
- Required Credits: 128
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Computer Science
- Required Credits: 128
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Communications
- Required Credits: 128
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BSW in Social Work
- Required Credits: 128
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #6 Best Public Colleges in Massachusetts 2024 #7 Most Affordable Colleges in Massachusetts Ranked for Students in 2024 #21 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Work Degrees #10 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts 2024
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
57%
Student body
9K
Career Outlook for degree at Salem State University
Cost of Degree: $11,978Expenses: $17,938Starting Salary: $47,100Cost Recoup Time: 12 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Salem State University known for?
Salem State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Salem State University’s Online Degrees
BS in Business
Degree Concentrations
- Accounting
- Corporate Finance And Accounting
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Hospitality Management
- Human Resources
- International Business
- Management
- Management Information Systems
- Marketing
- Operations And Decision Sciences
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
BS in Occupational Health Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
BS in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
BS in Fire Science
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Education: Early Education And Care
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
BLS in Liberal Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
BSW in Social Work
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
BS in Healthcare Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
BSN in Nursing: RN to BSN
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Psychology
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
Massachusetts’ Best Colleges in Your Area of Interest
Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts
Some of the most talked about universities in Massachusetts are its private schools, including Boston University, Harvard University, Northeastern University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which also happen to be the largest. Tuition for these prestigious schools runs between $50,000 and $54,000. Students here have access to some of the top programs in the country in fields such as biology, literature, law, education, engineering, and religious studies. The alumni from New England schools are equally as impressive, including Martin Luther King Jr., Bill Gates, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Find college admissions consultants in your state.
The public higher education institutes also boast top-notch programs, allowing students to pursue associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in fields like mathematics, social work, medicine, and economics. The University of Massachusetts Amherst, the state’s largest public university, offers tuition around $16,000 and serves over 28,000 students. Additionally, students who are interested in attending a religiously affiliated school have 17 options to choose from, most of which feature high graduation rates for their students. For future dental, medical, or mental health professionals, Massachusetts also offers loan forgiveness programs for those working in underserved communities.
As the port of destination for the Mayflower, home to the Plymouth colony, and site of the Salem Witch Trials, Massachusetts looms large in United States history, but this most populous New England state isn’t just for history buffs. The Bay State is also known for its delicious cuisine, beautiful coastlines, and devout sports fans. Not to mention, it has over 100 colleges for students to choose from.
Find a program that’s right for you and explore the best schools Massachusetts has to offer.
What are Massachusetts’ Colleges & Universities?
- 16 Research Universities
- 41 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 23 Graduate Schools
- 12 Public Colleges & Universities
- 45 Private Colleges & Universities
- 10 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 35 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 13 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000/year)
- 16 Community Colleges
- 23 Online Colleges