Explore Massachusetts Colleges
Colleges in Massachusetts
Explore 79 colleges and universities in Massachusetts, including 14 public institutions and 65 private schools. Compare tuition costs, acceptance rates, and find your perfect fit.
79
Total Colleges
14
Public
65
Private
Massachusetts at a Glance
Avg Acceptance Rate
5414%
Average acceptance rate for Massachusetts colleges
Avg Net Price
$27,611.443
After financial aid
Avg In-State Tuition
$36,971.372
For public universities
Explore Massachusetts by Region
Massachusetts is a diverse state with distinct college regions. Explore schools by area to find the campus environment that fits your lifestyle.
See how Massachusetts colleges compare head-to-head on acceptance rates, costs, and outcomes.
Massachusetts Colleges Directory
Browse 79 colleges in Massachusetts, sorted by ranking and selectivity.

Cambridge, MA•Private
4%
Acceptance Rate$73,849/yr
1510-1580
97%
"Harvard University beckons as America's oldest intellectual powerhouse, where you'll chase groundbreaking ideas alongside the world's sharpest minds in a relentless pursuit of excellence."

Cambridge, MA•Private
5%
Acceptance Rate$77,870/yr
1520-1580
97%
"The playground where tomorrow's inventors hack reality, one all-nighter at a time."

Williamstown, MA•Private
8%
Acceptance Rate$78,710/yr
1490-1570
94%
"In the shadow of the Berkshires, Williams wraps you in Oxford-style tutorials and mountain adventures, forging deep thinkers who hike as fiercely as they debate."

Amherst, MA•Private
9%
Acceptance Rate$81,890/yr
1490-1580
94%
"At Amherst, you craft your own intellectual path in an intimate liberal arts haven powered by the Five College Consortium, where self-starters thrive amid collaborative quirkiness."

Chestnut Hill, MA•Private
16%
Acceptance Rate$81,866/yr
1440-1540
92%
"You'll tackle Jesuit-fueled challenges on a hilltop campus minutes from Boston's heartbeat, emerging as a service-driven leader amid fierce competition."

Boston, MA•Private
11%
Acceptance Rate$80,070/yr
1420-1530
88%
"Boston University's sprawling urban heartbeat thrusts you into Boston's professional whirlwind, blending gritty city ambition with surprising academic intimacy."

Wellesley, MA•Private
14%
Acceptance Rate$82,608/yr
1460-1560
92%
"Wellesley shapes fiercely intelligent women into global leaders on a lakeside campus where collaboration trumps competition, just minutes from Boston."

Wellesley, MA•Private
17%
Acceptance Rate$76,494/yr
1390-1530
93%
"Babson College is located in Wellesley, MA."

Medford, MA•Private
11%
Acceptance Rate$82,392/yr
1470-1560
94%
"Tufts delivers Ivy-caliber academics with a jumbo-sized heart for global citizenship, right in Boston's backyard."

Boston, MA•Private
5%
Acceptance Rate$78,680/yr
1440-1540
90%
"Boston's co-op pioneer, where students spend half their college career in paid professional jobs."

Northampton, MA•Private
21%
Acceptance Rate$81,080/yr
1420-1540
91%
"All-women's liberal arts powerhouse fostering bold thinkers in artsy Northampton, Massachusetts."

Waltham, MA•Private
41%
Acceptance Rate$80,308/yr
1390-1520
88%
"Brandeis invites activist-minded intellectuals to dive into social justice and rigorous science on a leafy suburban campus just outside Boston."

Amherst, MA•Public
60%
Acceptance Rate$32,314/yr
1310-1500
82%
"Massachusetts' flagship public powerhouse delivers Big Ten-scale energy and research muscle in a leafy college town, perfect if you crave spirited crowds without Ivy League tuition."

Worcester, MA•Private
18%
Acceptance Rate$57,600/yr
1240-1410
93%
"Holy Cross turns Jesuit rigor into a gritty, spirited liberal arts crucible where you'll debate philosophy by day and cheer football frenzy by night in unpretentious Worcester."

South Hadley, MA•Private
36%
Acceptance Rate$77,964/yr
1380-1530
84%
"Nestled in Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley, Mount Holyoke empowers fiercely independent women through rigorous academics and unbreakable sisterhood in America's oldest women's college."

Worcester, MA•Private
60%
Acceptance Rate$73,906/yr
1330-1490
89%
"At WPI, you dive straight into real-world projects that turn theory into rockets and robots, skipping the lecture hall drudgery."

Boston, MA•Private
44%
Acceptance Rate$66,390/yr
1110-1310
58%
"Berklee College of Music is located in Boston, MA."

Norton, MA•Private
68%
Acceptance Rate$75,950/yr
1220-1390
73%
"Tree-shaded liberal arts college where students craft their own majors amid an arboretum campus once dedicated to women's education."

Waltham, MA•Private
45%
Acceptance Rate$76,640/yr
1280-1430
89%
"Bentley University is located in Waltham, MA."

Easton, MA•Private
66%
Acceptance Rate$66,432/yr
1190-1350
86%
"A welcoming Catholic liberal arts college where Holy Cross values meet suburban Boston access, perfect for students craving community and purpose."

Lowell, MA•Public
83%
Acceptance Rate$30,622/yr
1180-1370
63%
"A dynamic public university in Lowell, MA, blending hands-on tech and engineering with a gritty, industrial-city spirit."

North Dartmouth, MA•Public
91%
Acceptance Rate$31,732/yr
1050-1270
59%
"A coastal gem blending practical education with a tight-knit community in North Dartmouth."

Amherst, MA•Private
75%
Acceptance Rate$68,642/yr
1150-1360
65%
"The tiny Massachusetts college where students scrap traditional majors and grades to craft their own paths amid a consortium of peers."

Wenham, MA•Private
69%
Acceptance Rate$40,210/yr
1130-1355
78%
"Christian liberal arts haven nestled by Wenham Lake, where faith shapes every lecture and lakeside trail."

Needham, MA•Private
25%
Acceptance Rate$78,090/yr
1493-1558
96%
"Franklin W Olin College of Engineering is located in Needham, MA."

Boston, MA•Private
76%
Acceptance Rate$62,728/yr
1170-1340
75%
"Cozy Catholic liberal arts college in Boston's Fenway, freshly co-ed after a century serving women."

North Adams, MA•Public
90%
Acceptance Rate$16,368/yr
1010-1190
70%
"Massachusetts' only public liberal arts college amid the Berkshires' contemporary art revival."

Framingham, MA•Public
84%
Acceptance Rate$15,170/yr
1100-1280
59%
"Framingham State University is located in Framingham, MA."

Worcester, MA•Private
40%
Acceptance Rate$64,500/yr
1288-1460
78%
"Discover the birthplace of American psychology in Worcester's gritty heartbeat, where curious minds tackle global issues at a small research powerhouse."

Fitchburg, MA•Public
87%
Acceptance Rate$16,424/yr
1060-1230
58%
"Fitchburg State University is located in Fitchburg, MA."

Boston, MA•Public
84%
Acceptance Rate$32,462/yr
1070-1290
55%
"A harbor-front haven in Boston where public university value meets urban grit and opportunity."

Bridgewater, MA•Public
88%
Acceptance Rate$15,365/yr
1060-1263
62%
"Bridgewater State University is located in Bridgewater, MA."

Worcester, MA•Public
88%
Acceptance Rate$14,640/yr
1026-1283
61%
"Worcester State University is located in Worcester, MA."

Boston, MA•Private
41%
Acceptance Rate$74,220/yr
1230-1440
76%
"The New England Conservatory of Music is located in Boston, MA."

Boston, MA•Private
70%
Acceptance Rate$60,678/yr
1220-1390
76%
"All-women's undergrad hub in Boston training nurses, social workers, and communicators steps from hospitals and Fenway Park."

Boston, MA•Private
51%
Acceptance Rate$72,472/yr
1270-1420
80%
"Emerson College is located in Boston, MA."

Springfield, MA•Private
72%
Acceptance Rate$57,112/yr
1080-1330
78%
"Birthplace of basketball, where humanics philosophy shapes hands-on experts in health sciences and physical education."

Boston, MA•Private
82%
Acceptance Rate$64,986/yr
1090-1300
65%
"Urban Boston hub born from evening law classes, fueling careers in business, government, and law."

Boston, MA•Private
91%
Acceptance Rate$57,515/yr
1110-1320
73%
"Wentworth Institute of Technology is located in Boston, MA."

Springfield, MA•Private
83%
Acceptance Rate$57,320/yr
1090-1300
66%
"Springfield's practical powerhouse blending business acumen, engineering grit, and health sciences training on a compact campus."

Boston, MA•Private
85%
Acceptance Rate$58,016/yr
1160-1416
68%
"MCPHS University is located in Boston, MA."

Cambridge, MA•Private
97%
Acceptance Rate$50,434/yr
1050-1250
62%
"Lesley University blends creativity and social impact in the heart of Cambridge’s innovative hub."

Quincy, MA•Private
64%
Acceptance Rate$38,080/yr
883-1180
46%
"Eastern Nazarene College is located in Quincy, MA."

Dudley, MA•Private
81%
Acceptance Rate$52,950/yr
1028-1236
65%
"Nichols College is located in Dudley, MA."

Longmeadow, MA•Private
85%
Acceptance Rate$49,363/yr
1010-1210
61%
"Bay Path University is located in Longmeadow, MA."

Beverly, MA•Private
71%
Acceptance Rate$55,032/yr
1193-1340
79%
"Endicott College is located in Beverly, MA."

Chicopee, MA•Private
85%
Acceptance Rate$54,340/yr
1150-1320
70%
"College of Our Lady of the Elms is located in Chicopee, MA."

Springfield, MA•Private
100%
Acceptance Rate$57,300/yr
920-1090
57%
"A small, supportive college in Springfield, MA, where personal growth and hands-on learning shape future leaders in health and education."

Newton, MA•Private
81%
Acceptance Rate$55,020/yr
1030-1158
69%
"Lasell University is located in Newton, MA."

Paxton, MA•Private
50%
Acceptance Rate$56,302/yr
950-1150
58%
"Anna Maria College is located in Paxton, MA."
Showing top 50 of 79 colleges in Massachusetts
Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Colleges
Harvard University is the highest-ranked university in Massachusetts, ranked #1 nationally. The state is home to several prestigious institutions offering world-class education across various fields.
The average tuition at Massachusetts colleges varies by institution type. For public universities, the average in-state tuition is $36,971 per year. Out-of-state students pay an average of $39,055. After financial aid, the average net price is $27,611.
The average acceptance rate for colleges in Massachusetts is 54%. However, acceptance rates vary significantly by institution, with some highly selective universities accepting less than 10% of applicants while others maintain open enrollment policies.
To qualify for in-state tuition at Massachusetts public universities, you typically need to establish residency for at least 12 months before enrolling. Requirements usually include living in the state, having a Massachusetts driver's license, registering to vote in the state, and demonstrating intent to remain. Specific requirements vary by institution, so check with your chosen school's admissions office.
Massachusetts is located in the Northeast region of the United States. Home to the Ivy League and some of America's oldest universities, the Northeast offers a rich academic tradition with diverse urban and rural campuses.
Massachusetts offers a range of affordable college options. The average net price after financial aid is $27,611. Public universities in Massachusetts provide particularly strong value for in-state residents, with lower tuition rates and access to state financial aid programs.