Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges 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.
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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.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 45 private universities in Massachusetts. To be included in the list below of the 25 best private universities in Massachusetts, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
97%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1520/34
Harvard University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
96%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1545/35
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
19%
Graduation
89%
Student body
32K
Median SAT/ACT
1405/32
Boston University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
94%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1455/33
Tufts University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
88%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
Brandeis University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
19%
Graduation
91%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
Boston College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$58K
Acceptance
18%
Graduation
91%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1475/34
Northeastern University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
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
$50K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
79%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1250/29
Clark University’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
$56K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
87%
Student body
7K
Worcester Polytechnic Institute’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
$40K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
63%
Student body
3K
Western New England University’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
$30K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
60%
Student body
3K
Lesley University’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 private colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top private schools in every state.