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 Bachelor's Degree Colleges in Massachusetts ranking.
We analyzed 48 colleges and universities across Massachusetts to determine which ones have the best bachelor's 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
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a bachelor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. Recent students who earned a bachelor's degree in Massachusetts entered the job market making an average of $44,029 while those in the top 25 schools on our list made an average of $47,667.
Starting Salary ( 31836 to 55286 )
Student Loan Borrowing
Students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their bachelor's so we factor that into our rankings as well.
When attending a school in Massachusetts, bachelor's degree students accumulate an average of $25,475 in student debt before graduation.
The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Additional Ranking Factors We Use
Our Best Bachelor's Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
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 bachelor's 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.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology tops this year’s ranking as the best school for bachelor’s degrees in Massachusetts for overall quality. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 1,249 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from MIT go into careers with an average salary of $79,258 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $11,534 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $627.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Harvard is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,618 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Harvard go into careers with an average salary of $63,686 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $17,458.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bentley University. The school came in at #3 in Massachusetts on this year’s best bachelor’s degree schools ranking. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1,123 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Bentley make an average of $62,161 a year. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $25,454 after getting their degree. Average monthly loan payments are around $529 for a 10-year repayment plan.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,143 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from WPI go into careers with an average salary of $63,992 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $26,944. Average monthly loan payments are around $532 for a 10-year repayment plan.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tufts University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,829 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Tufts is $43,562 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $16,825. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $704.
Boston University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #6. Boston University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 4,788 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Boston U make an average of $42,262 a year. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $26,217 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $630 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
With a ranking of #7, Boston College did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. It awarded 3,208 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Boston College go into careers with an average salary of $53,149 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $17,653 after getting their degree. Average monthly loan payments are around $639 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Northeastern University landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Northeastern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4,358 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern make an average of $53,651 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $26,247 in student loans. This translates to an average monthly payment of $462 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Amherst College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 468 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Amherst make an average of $51,744 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $13,130.
Williams College landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 678 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Williams go into careers with an average salary of $51,114 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $12,737.
With a ranking of #11, University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. UMass Amherst is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6,844 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst go into careers with an average salary of $41,845 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $25,207 after getting their degree. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $288.
Brandeis University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Brandeis is located in Waltham, Massachusetts and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,396 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis is $42,809 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $26,259 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $731 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Wellesley College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and it awarded 739 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley is $46,135 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $10,663 after getting their degree.
Emerson College landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 1,005 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Emerson make an average of $34,649 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $24,993. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $882.
College of the Holy Cross came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 877 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross make an average of $42,642 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $26,867 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $437 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Suffolk University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,159 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Suffolk is $38,785 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $26,578. This translates to an average monthly payment of $414 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Simmons University landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Simmons is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 476 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Simmons go into careers with an average salary of $44,246 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $26,376 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $733.
Wentworth Institute of Technology came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Wentworth Institute of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 877 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from WIT make an average of $65,996 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $26,757. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $578.
Smith College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Smith is located in Northampton, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 772 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Smith make an average of $33,761 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $18,854.
With a ranking of #20, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Mt. Holyoke is a small private not-for-profit school situated in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It awarded 628 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Mt. Holyoke make an average of $35,552 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $20,650 in student loans.
With a ranking of #21, University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. UMass Lowell is a fairly large public school situated in Lowell, Massachusetts. It awarded 3,168 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $48,091 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $26,591 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $171 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Clark University landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 631 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Clark make an average of $33,839 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $26,095. Average monthly loan payments are around $207 for a 10-year repayment plan.
University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #23. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,801 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UMass Boston is $38,394 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $27,166. Average monthly loan payments are around $77 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Bridgewater State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #24. Bridgewater State University is a medium-sized public school located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts that handed out 2,191 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Bridgewater State make an average of $37,266 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $26,992 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $156 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Stonehill College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Stonehill is located in Easton, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 710 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Stonehill go into careers with an average salary of $43,092 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $25,556 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $619.
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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