Liberal arts colleges are a great option for students seeking a well-rounded education in an intimate campus setting. The best liberal arts colleges in Massachusetts offer a diverse selection of degree programs with opportunities for a highly individualized educational experience.
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.
Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges
A liberal arts college is a school that puts a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. We’ve identified 41 liberal arts universities in Massachusetts. To be ranked among the 25 best liberal arts colleges in Massachusetts, schools must fully accredited institutions.
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
92%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1495/33
Amherst College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
94%
Student body
2K
Williams College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
16%
Graduation
92%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1435/32
Wellesley College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
30%
Graduation
91%
Student body
3K
Smith College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
43%
Graduation
93%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1360/30
College of the Holy Cross’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
85%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1385/28
Mount Holyoke College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$42K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
60%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1106/23
Suffolk University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
62%
Student body
<1K
Hampshire College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
45%
Graduation
79%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1285/29
Emerson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
61%
Graduation
88%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1270/28
Bentley University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
85%
Student body
2K
Stonehill College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
72%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1185/25
Wentworth Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$64K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
70%
Student body
<1K
Bard College at Simon's Rock’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Student body
2K
Cambridge College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
61%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/22
Westfield State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
57%
Student body
6K
Salem State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
73%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1250/24
Springfield College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
62%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1045/22
Bridgewater State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
72%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/24
Gordon College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
57%
Student body
5K
Fitchburg State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$58K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
73%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1265/29
Wheaton College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
48%
Student body
1K
Anna Maria College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
78%
Student body
4K
Endicott College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
69%
Student body
6K
Merrimack College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$30K
Acceptance
50%
Graduation
17%
Student body
<1K
Bay State 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 utilized 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.
Check out our directory of liberal arts colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top liberal arts schools in every state.