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    Top Colleges in Massachusetts

    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman Written by Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman
    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman

    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a content editor and writer at Scholarships360. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.

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    Updated: June 6th, 2024

    The state of Massachusetts is rich in American history, strong sports teams, and maybe above all, its colleges. In fact, people often refer to Massachusetts as the “Education State” due to how many world-class institutions are located there. Harvard, MIT, Tufts, Boston University, and many other Massachusetts institutions enjoy worldwide recognition. If that’s not enough, they also offer strong financial support to students with need, through the MassGrant and other state grants. Check out our list below for some stellar Massachusetts colleges.

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    34 colleges
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    M

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Cambridge, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City, Need-Blind

    Top College Top College, Top Affordability
    Top College Top College
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    MIT is a world leader in science, engineering, and technology education and research. The Institute is known for its rigorous academics and innovative culture, fostering technological breakthroughs and alumni such…Read More

    MIT is a world leader in science, engineering, and technology…Read More

    4% acceptance
    95% graduation rate
    4,638 undergrads
    $20,338 net price
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    F

    Franklin W Olin College of Engineering

    Needham, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Suburb

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Did you know that every admitted student at Olin receives a partial scholarship covering half of the tuition? Located in Needham, Massachusetts, Olin is known for its innovative engineering curriculum…Read More

    Did you know that every admitted student at Olin receives…Read More

    19% acceptance
    94% graduation rate
    356 undergrads
    $25,924 net price
    H

    Harvard University

    Cambridge, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City, Need-Blind

    Top College Top College, Top Affordability
    Top College Top College
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. Harvard is known for its prestigious…Read More

    Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is the oldest institution…Read More

    3% acceptance
    98% graduation rate
    7,973 undergrads
    $19,500 net price
    B

    Babson College

    Wellesley, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Suburb

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Babson College, located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, is known for its focus on entrepreneurship and business education. Babson offers a unique curriculum that integrates business fundamentals with hands-on experience, including the…Read More

    Babson College, located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, is known for its…Read More

    22% acceptance
    93% graduation rate
    2,709 undergrads
    $34,994 net price
    W

    Williams College

    Williamstown, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Town, Need-Blind

    Top College Top College, Top Affordability
    Top College Top College
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    Williams College, located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, consistently ranks as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Known for its tutorial system, similar to Oxford, Williams has notable…Read More

    Williams College, located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, consistently ranks as one…Read More

    9% acceptance
    95% graduation rate
    2,138 undergrads
    $26,775 net price
    A

    Amherst College

    Amherst, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Suburb, Need-Blind

    Top College Top College, Top Affordability
    Top College Top College
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    Amherst College, situated in Amherst, Massachusetts, is widely known as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. They employ an open curriculum, meaning Amherst allows students the…Read More

    Amherst College, situated in Amherst, Massachusetts, is widely known as…Read More

    7% acceptance
    92% graduation rate
    1,898 undergrads
    $25,035 net price
    W

    Wellesley College

    Wellesley, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Suburb, Need-Blind

    Top College Top College, Top Affordability
    Top College Top College
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    Wellesley College, situated in Wellesley, Massachusetts, is a women's liberal arts college known for its strong focus on women's education and leadership. The campus includes the scenic Lake Waban, which…Read More

    Wellesley College, situated in Wellesley, Massachusetts, is a women's liberal…Read More

    14% acceptance
    90% graduation rate
    2,353 undergrads
    $23,052 net price
    M

    Massachusetts Maritime Academy

    Buzzards Bay, MA • Public, Suburb

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a public 4-year college located in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. There are currently 1,323 undergraduates at Mass Maritime and the school’s acceptance rate is 89%. The tuition…Read More

    Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a public 4-year college located in…Read More

    89% acceptance
    79% graduation rate
    1,323 undergrads
    $25,294 net price
    B

    Boston University

    Boston, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Boston University, home to the first college radio station in the United States, has fostered influential alumni such as Martin Luther King Jr, Julianne Moore, and Howard Stern. Students can…Read More

    Boston University, home to the first college radio station in…Read More

    14% acceptance
    89% graduation rate
    17,668 undergrads
    $27,779 net price
    B

    Bentley University

    Waltham, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Bentley University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Waltham, Massachusetts. There are currently 4,070 undergraduates at Bentley and the school’s acceptance rate is 58%. The tuition at Bentley…Read More

    Bentley University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    58% acceptance
    88% graduation rate
    4,070 undergrads
    $39,699 net price
    C

    College of the Holy Cross

    Worcester, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    College of the Holy Cross is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Worcester, Massachusetts. There are currently 3,062 undergraduates at Holy Cross and the school’s acceptance rate is 36%.…Read More

    College of the Holy Cross is a private, non-profit 4-year…Read More

    36% acceptance
    91% graduation rate
    3,062 undergrads
    $39,310 net price
    M

    University of Massachusetts-Amherst

    Amherst, MA • Public, Suburb

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    University of Massachusetts-Amherst is a public 4-year college located in Amherst, Massachusetts. There are currently 24,111 undergraduates at Massachusetts-Amherst and the school’s acceptance rate is 64%. The tuition at Massachusetts-Amherst…Read More

    University of Massachusetts-Amherst is a public 4-year college located in…Read More

    64% acceptance
    83% graduation rate
    24,111 undergrads
    $21,846 net price
    N

    Northeastern University

    Boston, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Northeastern University, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is known for its cooperative education (co-op) program, which integrates classroom study with professional work experience. Northeastern offers a wide range of academic programs…Read More

    Northeastern University, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is known for its…Read More

    7% acceptance
    91% graduation rate
    16,172 undergrads
    $28,521 net price
    B

    Boston College

    Chestnut Hill, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City, Need-Blind

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Boston College is known for the Gothic gargoyles on its campus, its strong liberal arts curriculum, and its famous alumni, who include John F. Kerry, Amy Poehler, and Leonard Nimoy.Read More

    Boston College is known for the Gothic gargoyles on its…Read More

    17% acceptance
    91% graduation rate
    9,751 undergrads
    $39,090 net price
    M

    Mount Holyoke College

    South Hadley, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Suburb

    Mount Holyoke College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in South Hadley, Massachusetts. There are currently 2,183 undergraduates at Holyoke and the school’s acceptance rate is 40%. The tuition…Read More

    Mount Holyoke College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    40% acceptance
    83% graduation rate
    2,183 undergrads
    $31,444 net price

    Tufts University

    Medford, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Suburb

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Situated just outside Boston, Tufts University is known for its strong emphasis on internationalism, active citizenship, and interdisciplinary research. The university comprises several schools, including the School of Arts and…Read More

    Situated just outside Boston, Tufts University is known for its…Read More

    10% acceptance
    94% graduation rate
    6,747 undergrads
    $35,123 net price
    B

    Brandeis University

    Waltham, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Brandeis University, located in Waltham, Massachusetts, was established in 1948 and is named after Louis D. Brandeis, the first Jewish justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Known for its research…Read More

    Brandeis University, located in Waltham, Massachusetts, was established in 1948…Read More

    39% acceptance
    87% graduation rate
    3,675 undergrads
    $35,439 net price
    S

    Stonehill College

    Easton, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Suburb

    Stonehill College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Easton, Massachusetts. There are currently 2,466 undergraduates at Stonehill and the school’s acceptance rate is 73%. The tuition at Stonehill…Read More

    Stonehill College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    73% acceptance
    79% graduation rate
    2,466 undergrads
    $29,952 net price
    W

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute

    Worcester, MA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Worcester, Massachusetts. There are currently 5,146 undergraduates at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the school’s acceptance rate is 57%. The…Read More

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    57% acceptance
    89% graduation rate
    5,146 undergrads
    $44,100 net price

    Smith College

    Northampton, MA • Private, Non-Profit, Suburb

    If you appreciate a self-directed education and a beautiful campus, Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, could be the school for you. The college's extensive Botanic Garden, including the Lyman Plant…Read More

    If you appreciate a self-directed education and a beautiful campus,…Read More

    23% acceptance
    89% graduation rate
    2,515 undergrads
    $31,087 net price
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    About the Data

    We sort colleges on our lists according to their Scholarships360 Top Colleges Index Score. This score is calculated using up-to-date information taken directly from the College Scorecard. Additional information is sourced from the colleges themselves, as well as other publicly available information. If you see an error, feel free to contact us.

    State Grants in Massachusetts

    Most states offer their own state-wide grants to help residents obtain an affordable education. Here are some of the most prominent state-wide grants in Massachusetts:

    Massachusetts Need-Based Tuition Waiver Program

    Students who demonstrate sufficient financial need can be eligible for the Tuition Waiver program, which awards tuition waivers for public in-state colleges and universities. Recipients of this grant can also apply for the Cash Grant program, which helps pay for additional education-related expenses, such as fees and non-covered tuition.

    Massachusetts Gilbert Matching Student Grant Program

    The Gilbert Matching Student Grant Program offers funding to Massachusetts students who choose to pursue a higher education in-state. It can be used for both undergraduate and nursing programs. 

    MASSGrant and MASSGrant Plus

    MASSGrant and MASSGrant Plus are need-based programs based on the FAFSA which provide funding for a student’s higher education at approved institutions and degree programs. Massachusetts students who pursue an in-state education at an approved program and demonstrate financial need are eligible.

    Massachusetts Part-Time Scholarship Program

    The Part-Time Scholarship Program is a need-based program specifically for students who are enrolled part-time in an undergraduate education. Amounts vary based on demonstrated need and number of credits being taken.

    MCAS Scholarships

    There are a number of scholarships available to students who perform well on the 10th-Grade MCAS assessment. Students in a higher percentile can be eligible for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, which awards a tuition waiver for up to eight semesters of public school in the state.

    Massachusetts Tuition Reciprocity Agreements

    Massachusetts is a member of the Tuition Break program, which offers in-state tuition discounts at other New England institutions. This means that Massachusetts can attend out-of-state schools at a lower cost, and students in these partner states can attend Massachusetts colleges at a discount. Be sure to check with the college you’re interested in to see whether you can take advantage of this program.

    Other college lists to explore

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the hardest Massachusetts college to get into?

    Harvard and MIT have the lowest acceptance rates in the state of Massachusetts. These are both world-class institutions with reputations as some of the best schools in the country. These admissions rates may seem intimidating, but don’t let a low number deter you from applying. Remember, your application can always catch an admissions officer’s eye, and everyone should apply to at least a couple of reach schools!

    Why should I study in Massachusetts?

    Massachusetts is a great state to attend school. Whether you are in the Boston area or further out in the state, Massachusetts is strategically located in New England to allow students access to many of the biggest cities in the country. With New York, DC, Boston, Philadelphia, and more only a stone’s throw away, students can take advantage of cultural opportunities, internship and job opportunities, and more. 

    The state is also home to 16 National Parks and lots of other natural beauty. So, whether you are looking to take a break from your studies by exploring the city or hiking a trail, Massachusetts has what you’re looking for. 

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