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2022 Best Value Colleges for Economics (Income $48-$75k) in Massachusetts

30 Ranked Colleges
3,354 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 48,831 people earned their degree in economics, making the major the 18th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

Across Massachusetts, there were 3,354 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,242 and $22,416 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in economics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality economics programs that also have a lower cost than 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 economics 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 Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. 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 Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Economics (Income $48-$75k) in Massachusetts

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 348 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Harvard has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $3,411 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Harvard University.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read more about Economics at Harvard

#2

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Williams College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s economics degrees to 135 students in 2019-2020.

Williams not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $7,134 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Economics at Williams College

#3

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Amherst College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Amherst College is a small school located in Amherst, Massachusetts that handed out 74 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Amherst also made our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Amherst is $8,219 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Economics at Amherst

#4

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Wellesley College landed the #4 spot on the list. Wellesley College is a small school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts that handed out 82 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wellesley, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wellesley is $14,229 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Wellesley College

#5

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Boston College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s economics degrees to 372 students in 2019-2020.

Boston College also made our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Boston College is $17,113 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Economics at Boston College

#6

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Tufts is a fairly large school located in Medford, Massachusetts that handed out 197 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $13,525 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, 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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Tufts University Economics Report

#7

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 112 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Holy Cross also took the #7 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Holy Cross is $22,581 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Economics at Holy Cross

#8

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 40 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mt. Holyoke, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mount Holyoke College is $17,860 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Mount Holyoke College Economics Report

#9

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northeastern is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 200 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Northeastern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern is $17,692 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Northeastern University Economics Report

#10

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 354 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst also made our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts Amherst is $18,104 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Economics at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#11

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 477 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $20,231 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Boston University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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%.

Read full report on Economics at Boston University

#12

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Smith is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northampton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith also made our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $16,394 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Smith College.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read more about Economics at Smith

#13

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Fitchburg State University is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Fitchburg State also took the #24 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $15,538 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Fitchburg State.

Full Fitchburg State University Economics Report

#14

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Lowell, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell also made our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Lowell is $16,672 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Economics at UMass Lowell

#15

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Brandeis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waltham, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 321 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Brandeis University is $20,122 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 full report on Economics at Brandeis University

#16

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Worcester State University is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Worcester State is $19,658 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Economics at Worcester State

#17

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #17, Westfield State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k list. Westfield is a medium-sized public school situated in Westfield, Massachusetts. It awarded 29 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield also made our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $17,643 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Westfield State University.

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 full report on Economics at Westfield

#18

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Norton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 33 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Massachusetts, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $22,571 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Economics at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#19

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UMass Boston is a fairly large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 135 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UMass Boston is $18,521 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Economics at University of Massachusetts - Boston

#20

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Salem, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,547 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Salem State University.

Read more about Economics at Salem State

#21

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and it awarded 35 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Bridgewater State University is $18,389 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Economics at Bridgewater State

#22

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Clark University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Worcester, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s economics degrees to 58 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Clark has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $21,568 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Clark.

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 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 low student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 full report on Economics at Clark University

#23

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Framingham, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s economics degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Framingham State is $19,570 for Massachusetts Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Framingham State University Economics Report

#24

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UMass Dartmouth is a public institution located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Dartmouth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend UMass Dartmouth is $18,658 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UMass Dartmouth Economics Report

#25

Stonehill College

Easton, Massachusetts

Stonehill College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Easton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 22 ’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Stonehill also took the #13 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $27,246 for massachusetts economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Stonehill.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 full report on Economics at Stonehill

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 pixabay.

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