Graduate school may be a critical step in your higher education, whether you are interested in expanding your knowledge, learning a specialization, or earning advanced credentials required by your profession. The best graduate schools in Massachusetts offer advanced degrees, such as master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as opportunities for independent research, mentorships, and professional networking.
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.
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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.
There are 23 doctorate-granting graduate schools in Massachusetts. Our ranking of the best graduate schools in the Massachusetts is composed of both private and public schools. To be included, schools must be fully accredited non-profit institutions, and must offer doctoral degrees and a broad array of graduate degrees.
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
5%
Graduation
98%
Student body
25K
Median SAT/ACT
1515/34
Harvard University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
7%
Graduation
96%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1540/35
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
20%
Graduation
89%
Student body
32K
Median SAT/ACT
1425/32
Boston University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
16%
Graduation
94%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1465/33
Tufts University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
33%
Graduation
89%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1435/31
Brandeis University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
83%
Student body
29K
Median SAT/ACT
1290/29
University of Massachusetts Amherst’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
26%
Graduation
92%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1420/32
Boston College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$58K
Acceptance
20%
Graduation
90%
Student body
23K
Median SAT/ACT
1465/33
Northeastern University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
37%
Graduation
87%
Student body
3K
Smith College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
75%
Student body
4K
Clark University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$42K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
60%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/23
Suffolk University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
59%
Graduation
89%
Student body
7K
Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
49%
Student body
13K
University of Massachusetts Boston’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
69%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1235/26
University of Massachusetts Lowell’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
52%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1090/21
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
58%
Graduation
90%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1320/29
Bentley University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
89%
Graduation
64%
Student body
3K
Western New England University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Graduation
20%
Student body
2K
Cambridge College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$30K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
60%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1105/23
Lesley University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
63%
Graduation
73%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/23
Springfield College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$43K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
79%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1200/26
Simmons University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
79%
Student body
5K
Endicott College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$39K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
44%
Student body
2K
American International College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utiulized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
