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2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

13 Ranked Colleges
264 Degrees Awarded
$27,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Education is the 35th most popular major in the country with 29,936 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, general education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,138 and had an average of $29,674 in loans still to pay off.

Across Massachusetts, there were 1,701 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $50,417 and $27,670 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 264 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 13 colleges that offered a degree in general education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general education program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid.

Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Education in Massachusetts (With Aid)

#1

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts landed the #1 spot on the list. MCLA is a small public school situated in North Adams, Massachusetts. It awarded 16 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree education students with aid list, MCLA has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $16,861 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid per year to attend MCLA.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full MCLA General Education Report

#2

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a large public school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 24 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts Amherst is $22,501 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UMass Amherst General Education Report

#3

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Salem State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Salem, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

Salem State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Salem State is $18,399 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid.

Full Salem State General Education Report

#4

Bay Path University

Longmeadow, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bay Path University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Bay Path also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bay Path is $22,211 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree education students with aid.

Full Bay Path General Education Report

#5

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Smith College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Smith, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Smith College is $28,305 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree education students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Smith College General Education Report

#5

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Tufts University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. Tufts is a fairly large school located in Medford, Massachusetts that handed out 5 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $30,744 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid per year to attend Tufts.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read full report on General Education at Tufts

#7

Elms College

Chicopee, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #7, Elms College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Elms College is a small school located in Chicopee, Massachusetts that handed out 14 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree education students with aid list, Elms College has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elms College is $23,855 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid.

Full Elms College General Education Report

#8

Springfield College

Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Springfield College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Springfield, Massachusetts. It awarded 16 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Springfield College also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $30,134 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid per year to attend Springfield College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Education at Springfield College

#9

Merrimack College

North Andover, Massachusetts

Merrimack College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in North Andover, Massachusetts, and it awarded 70 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Merrimack also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Merrimack is $33,650 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Read more about General Education at Merrimack College

#10

Stonehill College

Easton, Massachusetts

Stonehill College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Easton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Stonehill also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Stonehill is $34,658 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Education at Stonehill

#11

Lesley University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#11 in overall quality

Lesley University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

Lesley also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $33,644 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid per year to attend Lesley.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Lesley University

#12

Endicott College

Beverly, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

Endicott College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. Endicott College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Beverly, Massachusetts. It awarded 18 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Endicott also took the #6 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Endicott College is $35,642 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree education students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Full Endicott College General Education Report

#13

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts
#4 in overall quality

Brandeis University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Brandeis University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Waltham, Massachusetts. It awarded 12 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis is $31,165 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Education students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about General Education at Brandeis

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO.

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