2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts
63
Colleges
$71,010
Avg Salary*
75%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
When pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its Top Massachusetts Colleges ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 63 colleges and universities across Massachusetts to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as graduation rate, post graduate earnings, and a school's average expenditure per student - to make this determination.
Learn more about our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Top Colleges in Massachusetts
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Massachusetts Institute of Technology to be the best school for overall quality in Massachusetts in this year’s ranking. MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,620 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. During the early years of their career, graduates from MIT make an average of $111,222 a year.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts list.Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 9,623 students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 7 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Harvard is $84,918 during the early years of their career.
Full Harvard University Report
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges in Massachusetts list means Bentley University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Bentley is located in Waltham, Massachusetts and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,676 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Bentley is $107,974 during the early years of their career.
Full Bentley University Report
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Tufts University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Massachusetts. Tufts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4,142 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Tufts make an average of $67,122 a year.
Read full report on Tufts University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The school came in at #5 in Massachusetts on this year’s overall quality ranking. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 2,043 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $89,405 during the early years of their career..
Full Worcester Polytechnic Institute Report
Boston University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges in Massachusetts list. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 11,580 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 84%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Boston U go into careers with an average salary of $75,642 during the early years of their career.
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Northeastern University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. Northeastern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 8,157 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern is $79,786 during the early years of their career.
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Boston College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5,001 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $93,021 during the early years of their career..
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Amherst College landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 468 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 88%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Amherst make an average of $71,567 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Amherst College
Williams College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. Williams is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 692 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $71,608 during the early years of their career..
Full Williams College Report
University of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking.Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 9,582 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $62,048 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on University of Massachusetts Amherst
Wellesley College landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. Wellesley College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts that handed out 739 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley go into careers with an average salary of $66,531 during the early years of their career.
Full Wellesley College Report
Simmons University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in Massachusetts list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 2,417 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Simmons is $56,053 during the early years of their career.
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Brandeis University landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. Brandeis University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Waltham, Massachusetts that handed out 2,331 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis go into careers with an average salary of $70,327 during the early years of their career.
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College of the Holy Cross did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 877 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross make an average of $84,653 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on College of the Holy Cross
Suffolk University landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. Suffolk is located in Boston, Massachusetts and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,162 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Suffolk go into careers with an average salary of $60,928 during the early years of their career.
Full Suffolk University Report
Emerson College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 1,463 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 79%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Emerson is $56,676 during the early years of their career.
Full Emerson College Report
Wentworth Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #18. Wentworth Institute of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 1,027 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $75,515 during the early years of their career..
Full Wentworth Institute of Technology Report
Smith College landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. Smith is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northampton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 933 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $56,419 during the early years of their career..
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Mount Holyoke College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges in Massachusetts list. Mt. Holyoke is a private not-for-profit institution located in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 686 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 79%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Mt. Holyoke is $52,736 during the early years of their career.
Full Mount Holyoke College Report
University of Massachusetts - Lowell ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges in Massachusetts list. UMass Lowell is a fairly large public school situated in Lowell, Massachusetts. It awarded 4,933 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UMass Lowell is $65,584 during the early years of their career.
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Bunker Hill Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges in Massachusetts list. BHCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 1,471 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from BHCC make an average of $44,100 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Bunker Hill Community College
Clark University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges in Massachusetts list. Clark is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,371 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. During the early years of their career, graduates from Clark make an average of $54,506 a year.
Read full report on Clark University
University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. University of Massachusetts - Boston is a fairly large public school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 3,924 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UMass Boston go into careers with an average salary of $56,060 during the early years of their career.
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With a ranking of #25, Endicott College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Massachusetts list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Beverly, Massachusetts, and it awarded 1,343 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Endicott is $60,850 during the early years of their career.
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