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2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

29 Ranked Colleges
1,682 Degrees Awarded
$12,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

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 Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 46,740 people earned their degree in political science, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States.

Across Massachusetts, there were 1,809 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,682 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 29 colleges that offer a degree in political science. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent political science programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the political science program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #1 spot on the list. Harvard is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 102 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Harvard is $2,973 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Harvard Political Science Report

#2

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

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 Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 70 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Williams, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $2,498 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 full report on Political Science at Williams

#3

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Amherst College landed the #3 spot on the list. Amherst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 40 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Amherst also took the #3 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Amherst College is $6,079 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Political Science at Amherst

#4

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tufts University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Medford, Massachusetts, and it awarded 82 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $5,267 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Political Science at Tufts University

#5

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wellesley College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wellesley is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 48 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wellesley, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $8,785 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Wellesley Political Science Report

#6

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#5 in overall quality

Boston College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Boston College is a fairly large school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that handed out 172 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston College, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $6,353 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston College.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Boston College Political Science Report

#7

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#8 in overall quality

Northeastern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Northeastern University is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 106 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $10,239 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Northeastern University Political Science Report

#8

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

Smith College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Smith, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Smith College is $6,075 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 Political Science at Smith College

#9

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts
#4 in overall quality

College of the Holy Cross ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 111 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

Holy Cross not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $15,036 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Holy Cross.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full College of the Holy Cross Political Science Report

#10

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#9 in overall quality

Boston University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Boston U is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 120 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k list, Boston U has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston U is $12,903 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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 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 more about Political Science at Boston University

#11

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 181 students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $13,137 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k 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.

Read more about Political Science at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#12

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts
#11 in overall quality

Mount Holyoke College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. South Hadley, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Mt. Holyoke is $12,063 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Mount Holyoke College

#13

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Westfield State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Westfield, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school handed out 30 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k list, Westfield has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Westfield State University is $12,672 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Westfield State University

#14

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts
#22 in overall quality

University of Massachusetts - Lowell ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Lowell, Massachusetts, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Lowell is $11,560 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 more about Political Science at UMass Lowell

#15

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts
#25 in overall quality

Fitchburg State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Fitchburg State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It awarded 14 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Fitchburg State also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #25. The yearly cost to attend Fitchburg State University is $11,770 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Political Science at Fitchburg State University

#16

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in North Adams, Massachusetts, this small public school handed out 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for MCLA is $12,587 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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.

Read more about Political Science at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

#17

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts
#24 in overall quality

Bridgewater State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school handed out 34 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

Bridgewater State also took the #24 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bridgewater State University is $13,332 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Bridgewater State Political Science Report

#18

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Massachusetts - Boston is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 59 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts - Boston is $13,859 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Political Science at University of Massachusetts - Boston

#19

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Framingham State is located in Framingham, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Framingham State University is $14,612 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Political Science at Framingham State

#20

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Norton, Massachusetts. It awarded 26 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts is $20,511 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, 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 87%.

Read full report on Political Science at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#21

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts
#23 in overall quality

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school awarded 38 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

UMass Dartmouth also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is $13,925 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Political Science at University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

#22

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Salem State University is a public institution located in Salem, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Salem State is $14,593 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Salem State Political Science Report

#23

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts
#19 in overall quality

Clark University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Clark is a small school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 39 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Clark, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Clark is $22,734 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Clark

#24

Simmons University

Boston, Massachusetts
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, Simmons University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Simmons not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Simmons is $22,999 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Simmons University Political Science Report

#25

Gordon College

Wenham, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

Gordon College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Wenham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Gordon College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Gordon College is $22,732 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Full Gordon College Political Science Report

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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.

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