by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in Massachusetts, it can be hard to know where to start. This list ranks **41** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual reviewed 41 graduate schools using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
This is how starting salaries are distributed among the top-ranked graduate schools:
Here are the top-ranked graduate schools:
Leading the list is Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, our #1 graduate school in Massachusetts. Set in Cambridge, MA, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology posts a six-year graduation rate of 96%. In-state tuition and fees run about $62,396. Graduates go on to earn a median of $113,129 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $13,516.
You'll be in good company at Boston College, which ranked #2 this year. Boston College is a private not-for-profit school based in Chestnut Hill, MA. Boston College graduates 91% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $70,702. Boston College graduates report median early-career earnings of $66,132. Typical student debt is $18,101.
You'll be in good company at Boston University, which ranked #3 this year. Located in Boston, MA, Boston University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 89% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,102. Early-career graduates earn a median of $63,598. Students borrow a median of $25,232 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #4 makes Harvard University one of the top graduate schools in Massachusetts. Based in Cambridge, MA, Harvard University is a private not-for-profit institution. Harvard University posts a six-year graduation rate of 98%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,676. Early-career graduates earn a median of $95,207. Graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans.
Babson College came in at #5 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Massachusetts. Located in Wellesley, MA, Babson College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 93% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $57,152. Babson College graduates report median early-career earnings of $106,540. Babson College students take on a median of $23,000 in debt.
Tufts University placed #6 among the best graduate schools in Massachusetts. Located in Medford, MA, Tufts University is a private not-for-profit institution. Tufts University posts a six-year graduation rate of 94%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,704. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $68,154. Typical student debt is $17,074.
Northeastern University landed the #7 spot in Massachusetts this year. Located in Boston, MA, Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Northeastern University posts a six-year graduation rate of 90%. In-state tuition and fees average $66,162. Graduates go on to earn a median of $74,800 early in their careers. The median student debt is $25,611.
University Of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #8 spot in Massachusetts this year. Located in Amherst, MA, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a public institution. About 83% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $17,772 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,449. Early-career graduates earn a median of $53,543. The median student debt is $25,234.
Bentley University did well this year, earning the #9 position. Based in Waltham, MA, Bentley University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 87%. In-state tuition and fees average $61,000. Early-career graduates earn a median of $76,110. Typical student debt is $25,476.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Set in Worcester, MA, Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 90%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $60,765. Graduates go on to earn a median of $91,834 early in their careers. The median student debt is $26,259.
Brandeis University landed the #11 spot in Massachusetts this year. Brandeis University is a private not-for-profit school based in Waltham, MA. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $68,080. Early-career graduates earn a median of $47,783. Typical student debt is $25,653.
Simmons College landed the #12 spot in Massachusetts this year. Simmons College is a private not-for-profit school based in Boston, MA. Simmons College graduates 72% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,874. Simmons College graduates report median early-career earnings of $63,860. Typical student debt is $26,740.
Massachusetts College Of Pharmacy And Health Sciences landed the #13 spot in Massachusetts this year. Massachusetts College Of Pharmacy And Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit school based in Boston, MA. About 61% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $40,530. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $73,671. Typical student debt is $29,056.
Williams College ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Located in Williamstown, MA, Williams College is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 94%. Students from in state pay about $68,560 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $53,652. Typical student debt is $12,615.
Clark University did well this year, earning the #15 position. Clark University is a private not-for-profit school based in Worcester, MA. About 77% of students finish within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,467. Median early-career earnings reach $43,257. Graduates carry a median of $26,153 in student loans.
Mgh Institute Of Health Professions landed the #16 spot in Massachusetts this year. Based in Boston, MA, Mgh Institute Of Health Professions is a private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $95,932. Graduates go on to earn a median of $92,927 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $32,000 to complete a degree here.
Endicott College came in at #17 in this year's ranking. Endicott College is a private not-for-profit school based in Beverly, MA. Endicott College graduates 75% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $40,650 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $55,361. Typical student debt is $25,973.
University Of Massachusetts Lowell did well this year, earning the #18 position. Located in Lowell, MA, University Of Massachusetts Lowell is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 65%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,966, while out-of-state students pay about $36,264. Median early-career earnings reach $66,985. Typical student debt is $25,574.
Wentworth Institute Of Technology ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Based in Boston, MA, Wentworth Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Wentworth Institute Of Technology posts a six-year graduation rate of 68%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,884. Median early-career earnings reach $72,538. Students borrow a median of $26,887 to complete a degree here.
Northeastern University Global Network came in at #20 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Boston, MA. In-state tuition and fees run about $50,688. Early-career graduates earn a median of $78,054. Graduates carry a median of $27,055 in student loans.
Massachusetts School Of Professional Psychology placed #21 among the best graduate schools in Massachusetts. This private not-for-profit school is set in Newton, MA. Students from in state pay about $11,800 in tuition and fees. Massachusetts School Of Professional Psychology graduates report median early-career earnings of $68,454.
Merrimack College landed the #22 spot in Massachusetts this year. Based in North Andover, MA, Merrimack College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 70% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $53,962. Graduates go on to earn a median of $50,506 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $26,913 in student loans.
Stonehill College ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Based in Easton, MA, Stonehill College is a private not-for-profit institution. Stonehill College graduates 76% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $56,370. Stonehill College graduates report median early-career earnings of $45,704. The median student debt is $25,603.
Smith College came in at #24 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Northampton, MA. Smith College posts a six-year graduation rate of 89%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,178. Early-career graduates earn a median of $40,436. The median student debt is $18,941.
Emerson College came in at #25 in this year's ranking. Based in Boston, MA, Emerson College is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 77%. In-state tuition and fees average $57,056. Early-career graduates earn a median of $40,654. The median student debt is $24,813.
Not far behind, these graduate schools also landed in the top of this year’s ranking:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Graduate schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
