---

2026 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in Massachusetts

[Natural Sciences](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/natural-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for natural sciences students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in Massachusetts

2026 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in Massachusetts

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in natural sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Natural Sciences Schools

1

Harvard University
Cambridge, MA

$61,676 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,681 Avg Student Debt

$101,817 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in natural sciences, no school beat Harvard University this year. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,676. Typical student debt for natural sciences graduates is $23,681. Natural Sciences graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $69,242 early in their careers. Set against $23,681 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA

$17,772 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,234 Avg Student Debt

$71,631 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Massachusetts Amherst earned it the #2 place for natural sciences. University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public school located in the city of Amherst. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,772, compared with $40,449 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,234 to complete the natural sciences program here. Early-career natural sciences graduates make about $53,543. Set against $25,234 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Massachusetts Amherst admits about 60% of applicants.

View All Natural Sciences Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 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.