When pursuing a college degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Associate Degree Colleges in Massachusetts ranking.
We analyzed 25 colleges and universities across Massachusetts to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Our ranking for the best schools is based on objective factors. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another. The following gives more info on what goes into our ranking factors and why we consider those factors.
Better Early-Career Average Salaries
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. A associate degree holder from a school in Massachusetts makes an average starting salary of $38,931, but the students who attended schools in the top 18 of our list make an average of $39,697.
Starting Salary ( 35868 to 43208 )
Student Loan Borrowing
Students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their associate so we factor that into our rankings as well.
When attending a school in Massachusetts, associate degree students accumulate an average of $13,427 in student debt before graduation.
We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty associate recipients will have paying back their loans.
Additional Ranking Factors We Use
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Associate Degree Schools ranking.
These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
Are you more interested in the top associate degree schools in your area? Try narrowing this list by location. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Our 2024 rankings named Bunker Hill Community College the best school in Massachusetts in terms of overall quality for students working on their associate degree. BHCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 1,185 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from BHCC make an average of $49,044 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $10,480 after getting their degree.
The excellent associate degree programs at University of Massachusetts Amherst helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Massachusetts. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, the large public school handed out 29 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $11,000 after getting their degree.
A rank of #3 on our Best Associate Degree in Massachusetts list means Wentworth Institute of Technology is a great place for students working on their degree. WIT is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 32 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The excellent associate degree programs at University of Massachusetts - Lowell helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Massachusetts. Lowell, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.
Associate students leave the school with an average of $24,018 in student loans.
A rank of #5 on our Best Associate Degree in Massachusetts list means North Shore Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. North Shore Community College is a public institution located in Danvers, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 719 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $42,858 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $13,065 after getting their degree.
Endicott College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Endicott is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beverly, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $5,181 after getting their degree.
Quinsigamond Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Quinsigamond Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. It awarded 912 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Quinsigamond Community College is $36,449 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $18,584.
With a ranking of #8, Springfield Technical Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the small public school handed out 780 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,407 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $8,601 after getting their degree.
Middlesex Community College landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Bedford, Massachusetts, and it awarded 882 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Middlesex Community College go into careers with an average salary of $42,511 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $10,335.
Fisher College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #10. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 42 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,519 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $19,404 in student loans.
Northern Essex Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Located in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the small public school handed out 488 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from NECC go into careers with an average salary of $39,952 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $11,134 after getting their degree.
Mount Wachusett Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Mount Wachusett Community College is a small public school located in Gardner, Massachusetts that handed out 442 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from MWCC is $38,441 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $11,837 after getting their degree.
Massachusetts Bay Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. MassBay Community College is a public institution located in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 426 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from MassBay Community College make an average of $41,930 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $9,441 after getting their degree.
With a ranking of #14, Bristol Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Fall River, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,107 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Bristol make an average of $34,963 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,573 in student loans.
With a ranking of #15, Massasoit Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. This small public school is located in Brockton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 742 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Massasoit Community College make an average of $36,161 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $10,881 after getting their degree.
Bay Path University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Bay Path is a private not-for-profit institution located in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Quincy College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #17. Quincy College is located in Quincy, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 384 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Quincy College make an average of $39,670 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $16,100.
Cape Cod Community College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Cape Cod Community College is a public institution located in West Barnstable, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 367 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Cape Cod Community College make an average of $42,321 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $10,991 after getting their degree.
With a ranking of #19, Holyoke Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Holyoke Community College is a small public school located in Holyoke, Massachusetts that handed out 684 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Holyoke Community College make an average of $32,737 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $10,048 in student loans.
Dean College landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Dean College is located in Franklin, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 108 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $16,333.
Roxbury Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Roxbury Community College is a small public school located in Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts that handed out 151 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Roxbury Community College make an average of $38,494 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $12,078.
With a ranking of #22, Cambridge College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 31 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #23, Berkshire Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. BCC is a small public school situated in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It awarded 180 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from BCC make an average of $38,591 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $15,462 after getting their degree.
Greenfield Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in Greenfield, Massachusetts, the small public school handed out 203 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Greenfield Community College make an average of $37,496 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,936 in student loans.
Bay State College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the small private for-profit school awarded 75 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Bay State College make an average of $42,007 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $33,788.
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%.
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