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2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts

30 Ranked Colleges
2,644 Degrees Awarded
$24,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,644 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in economics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great economics programs and 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 economics program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

The economics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics in Massachusetts

#1

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. UMass Amherst is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 310 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Amherst, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $22,501 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students per year to attend UMass Amherst.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Massachusetts Amherst Economics Report

#2

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Westfield State University landed the #2 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Westfield, Massachusetts, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $19,167 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students per year to attend Westfield State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Westfield State University Economics Report

#3

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts
#24 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fitchburg State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts. This medium-sized school is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Fitchburg State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $16,001 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students per year to attend Fitchburg State University.

Read full report on Economics at Fitchburg State University

#4

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Worcester State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Worcester State is $19,492 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students.

Read full report on Economics at Worcester State

#5

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bridgewater State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Bridgewater, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bridgewater State is $18,457 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

Full Bridgewater State University Economics Report

#6

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Framingham, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $20,001 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students per year to attend Framingham State.

Read full report on Economics at Framingham State

#7

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Salem State University is located in Salem, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Salem State University is $18,399 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students.

Full Salem State Economics Report

With a ranking of #8, University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. This fairly large school is located in Lowell, Massachusetts, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Lowell is $19,119 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#9

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

UMass Dartmouth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend UMass Dartmouth is $18,503 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

Read more about Economics at University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

#10

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 131 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston is $18,340 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students.

Full University of Massachusetts - Boston Economics Report

#11

Gordon College

Wenham, Massachusetts

Gordon College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Gordon College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wenham, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Gordon College also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend Gordon College is $25,777 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read more about Economics at Gordon College

#12

Simmons University

Boston, Massachusetts

Simmons University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Simmons also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Simmons is $30,008 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Simmons Economics Report

#13

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This small school is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and it awarded 108 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students list, Williams has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Williams is $19,480 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Economics at Williams

#14

Assumption University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Assumption University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students list, Assumption has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $28,466 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students per year to attend Assumption.

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%.

Read full report on Economics at Assumption University

#15

Emmanuel College Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Emmanuel College Massachusetts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Emmanuel Boston, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Emmanuel Boston is $28,314 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Emmanuel Boston Economics Report

#16

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts
#18 in overall quality

Clark University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #16. This small school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students list, Clark has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $28,805 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students per year to attend Clark.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Economics at Clark University

#17

Suffolk University

Boston, Massachusetts

Suffolk University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #17. Suffolk is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Suffolk also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for Suffolk University is $30,701 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Suffolk University Economics Report

#18

Stonehill College

Easton, Massachusetts

Stonehill College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. This small school is located in Easton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students list, Stonehill has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stonehill is $34,658 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Stonehill College Economics Report

#19

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #19, College of the Holy Cross did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. College of the Holy Cross is a small school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 112 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Holy Cross also took the #7 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Holy Cross is $37,292 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students.

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 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 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at College of the Holy Cross

#20

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Mt. Holyoke is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Mt. Holyoke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mount Holyoke College is $27,149 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Full Mount Holyoke College Economics Report

#21

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Norton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts also took the #15 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $26,809 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students per year to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts.

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 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%.

Read full report on Economics at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#22

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 215 students in 2019-2020.

Harvard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $15,386 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students per year to attend Harvard University.

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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Harvard University Economics Report

#23

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Northeastern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 159 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also took the #9 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $31,093 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students per year to attend Northeastern University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Economics at Northeastern University

#24

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 46 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Smith also took the #14 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Smith is $28,305 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

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. 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%.

Full Smith College Economics Report

#25

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. This medium-sized school is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 151 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis is $31,165 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Economics at Brandeis University

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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 pixabay.

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