2026 Best Value Humanities Schools in Massachusetts

[Humanities](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/humanities/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value humanities schools.
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2026 Best Value Humanities Schools in Massachusetts
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in humanities, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Humanities Schools
Leading the list is Bristol Community College, our #1 best value for humanities in Massachusetts. Set in the suburb of Fall River, Bristol Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,832, while out-of-state students pay about $10,776. Students borrow a median of $8,250 to complete the humanities program here. Early-career humanities graduates make about $37,897. That is a strong return on a $8,250 median debt.
Harvard University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value humanities schools. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,676. Humanities graduates carry a median of $20,126 in student loans. Early-career humanities graduates make about $54,555. That is a strong return on a $20,126 median debt. The acceptance rate is 4%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Massachusetts Amherst earned it the #3 place for humanities. Set in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,772, compared with $40,449 for out-of-state students. Humanities graduates carry a median of $25,742 in student loans. Soon after graduation, humanities degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Amherst generally make around $53,543. That is a strong return on a $25,742 median debt. University Of Massachusetts Amherst admits about 60% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.