Colleges in Massachusetts
Why go to College in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is home to some of the best universities in the world, including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). According to a 2016 report , Massachusetts ranks first and second place in the world in two of three main subject areas with students consistently earning high standardized test scores. Massachusetts has over 40,000 higher education faculty & staff, and a yearly research spending of over $630 million.
What Options are Available for Colleges in Massachusetts?
On-Campus
On-campus study in Massachusetts allows students to make the most of a university's on-site resources and is best-suited for those with an interest in the local culture. It is also ideal for those who already live or work in the northeast. For those who plan on staying in this part of the country, Massachusetts is a good choice. Boston is the largest city in New England and has a strong financial future with successful businesses in almost all economic sectors.
Online Programs
Online colleges in Massachusetts offer similar access to university resources, but also allow students to study on their own time from anywhere in the world. While it can be difficult to find the right program for you, distance learning makes it possible to study at institutions that aren't in your immediate vicinity. As a result, online students have a much wider variety of options available to them than on-campus students. Distance learners also benefit from not having to pay for on-campus housing, physical textbooks, transportation, and other fees related to on-campus study.
Hybrid Programs
Hybrid study is the combination of on-campus and online study. These courses include a mixture of in-person lectures and online coursework, using each format only for the tasks that it is best for. Hybrid students have the flexibility of schedule associated with online colleges in Massachusetts, as well as direct access to a university's full suite of on-campus resources. A number of recent studies uniformly highlight the benefits of independent and flexible learning combined with traditional face-to-face support.
Popular Degree Programs in Massachusetts
Given the number of successful industries in Massachusetts, students tend to focus their studies one a subject that will allow them to find work in the state. For example, MIT and other schools in neighbouring states like Connecticut and New York regularly produce a large quantity of psychology graduates who end up pursuing a career in neuroscience. The following are just a few of the many successful industries in Massachusetts.
Neuroscience Massachusetts produces a disproportionately high quantity of neuroscience graduates when compared to other states. Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system and brain and is based on technological advancements in biology, medicine, and psychology. Massachusett maintains its elite status in multidisciplinary research thanks to schools like MIT and Harvard, making the state friendly to the neuroscience industry.
Business & Administration Business management & administration is the most popular major in Massachusetts. The subject prepares graduates for leadership roles across a broad range of industries. Graduates with a degree in business management benefit from plentiful local opportunities to gain experience in the service sector, as well as New England's long history of international trade, especially through the port of Boston.
Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts for 2019
Since distance learners have so many options available to them, it can be difficult to choose the right program to meet their long-term career goals. The major benefit of online learning is that the costs of attending college on-campus are negated, allowing you to choose a program solely based on its academic merits. This guide can help you make an informed decision about which of the online colleges in Massachusetts is the right one for you.
Top 15 Colleges in Massachusetts for 2019
Admissions Rate
58%
Graduation Rate
78%
Online Enrollment
11%
Retention Rate
91%
Default Rate
5%
With a student body of more than 30,000, UMass Amherst is the largest college in New England. UMassOnline , the college's online education platform, was founded in 2001 and offers more than 100 online programs at the associate, certificate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. The school's online offerings encompass most major academic areas, like business and science. Unique degree options include sustainability studies, vision education, wildlife and fisheries conservation, international affairs, and natural resources conservation. The school is among online colleges in Massachusetts to offer blended education programs to students who live near campus, which provide students the opportunity to complete coursework on campus and online. All online programs are designed for working professionals. The school's Isenberg MBA is one of the most well known MBA programs.
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Best Online Community Colleges in Massachusetts for 2019
Top 7 Online Community Colleges in Massachusetts for 2019
Graduation Rate
21%
Online Enrollment
10%
Retention Rate
61%
Default Rate
16%
Based in Fall River, BCC is one of the largest online community colleges in Massachusetts, serving more than 11,000 full-time and 17,000 noncredit students. The school offers an assortment of fully online associate degrees , including transfer programs in communication, computer information systems, humanities, and social sciences, along with a career program in general management. The transfer programs serve as the first half of a bachelor's degree, enabling students to earn their lower division credits at BCC and then transfer to a four-year college. The general management program is a terminal degree that prepares students to enter the workforce upon graduation, though the credits may also be applied toward a bachelor's program. BCC also offers career and transfer degrees in criminal justice that include just one campus course.
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How We Ranked the Schools
To determine the best programs, we looked at the most important factors prospective students, mainly common predictors of future success and a school's commitment to online programs. This boils down to admissions rate, student loan default rate, retention rate, graduation rate, and the percent of students enrolled in online classes. All data points are taken from information provided by colleges and universities to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Each factor is weighted evenly in order to give an objective view and determine the best online master's in management information systems programs. To calculate our rankings, we looked at a school's ranking when organized by a single factor, and then averaged each category's ranking to find an overall score: Admissions Rate (20%) + Default Rate (20%) + Retention Rate (20%) + Graduation Rate (20%) + Percent of Students Enrolled in Online Classes (20%) = Final score.
Education Trends in Massachusetts
The population of Massachusetts includes an above average number of people with bachelor's and graduate degrees when compared to the rest of the country. One reason for so many college graduates may be that the cost of earning a degree in Massachusetts is under the national average. Students in Massachusetts are more likely to earn a bachelor's or graduate degree over an associate degree. The state also has 6% more students enrolled in college than the national average, but actually produces 10% more graduates.
| Minnesota | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary Education Spending per Full-Time Student | $6,728 | $6,954 |
| Percent of Tax Revenue Allocated to Higher Education | 3.1% | 5.8% |
| Percentage of adults over 25 with associate degree | 177% | 8.1% |
| Percentage of adults over 25 with bachelor's degree | 22.8% | 18.5% |
| Percentage of adults over 25 with graduate degree or higher | 17.7% | 11.2% |
| Source: SHEEO and U.S. Census | ||
Paying for College in Massachusetts
There are several factors that determine the costs of earning a college degree, including the reputation of a school and its success rate in producing graduates who can compete in the job market. However, there are many costs of attending college that go beyond tuition. Students must pay for textbooks, food and rent, registration fees, and other costs associated with living the college lifestyle. Luckily, there are many financial aid options that can help offset these costs.
Tuition Prices
The cost of earning a two-year degree in Massachusetts is 70% above the national average. Similarly, the cost of earning a four-year degree is 27% above the national average. However, fees at four-year schools are approximately 20% less than in the most expensive states in the country, such as neighbouring New Hampshire and Vermont.
Financial Aid
When considering your financial aid options, your first step should be filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This will allow you to apply for federal student loans, scholarships, grants, and work-study programs from the federal government. Some schools even require students to fill out the FAFSA before they can qualify for institutional scholarships. Federal student loans must be paid back, but offer payment deferral options and interest rates that are much lower than private loans. Grants and scholarships do not need to be paid back, so you should look to them first. Work-study programs are ideal for those who want to work and earn their degree concurrently.
Cost for Online Programs in Massachusetts
The fees for online colleges in Massachusetts are similar to those imposed by on-campus schools. However, lower tuition rates and the same access to financial aid services make distance learning more affordable than on-campus study. Online schools in Massachusetts also enable students to eliminate the costs associated with commuting and living on-campus.
Cost of Living by Region
The cost of living in New England, especially in the densely-populated areas of Massachusetts, are much higher than the national average. While this may not be a problem for someone with a full-time job, it can make the costs of attending college in Massachusetts almost untenable for some students. This makes online schools in Massachusetts even more attractive, especially for out-of-state students.
Scholarships for Massachusetts College Students
Employment Outlook in Massachusetts
According to a 2007 report, Boston supplied one out of every fourteen jobs in the whole of New England. Massachusetts is in line with the national average for unemployment rates, but has higher wages on a whole. All of the major industries in the state are well-established, with the largest employing thousands. Online schools in Massachusetts prepare students to a variety of careers with local business. These international companies typically have large local offices as well as branches out-of-state and overseas, which can be attractive to many candidates.
| Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate, May 2017 | 4.2% | 4.3% |
| Annual Mean Wage, May 2016 | $60,840 | $49,630 |
| Source: BLS and BLS | ||
Top Employers and Industries in Massachusetts
Top Industries in Massachusetts
Office and Administrative Support Occupations: Around 500,000 people in Massachusetts work in this sector, with a mean hourly wage of $20.66. Common positions in this industry include bill and account collector, customer sales representative, financial clerk, and receptionist.
Medical Professionals, Healthcare: The healthcare industry includes a wide variety of different sub-fields, each with several different specialized occupations. Professionals in this industry enjoy the highest annual mean wages .
Sales: Around 322,330 people in Massachusetts work in sales with a mean hourly wage of $22.83. Common positions in this industry include account manager, marketing specialist, and brand ambassador.
Top Industries in Massachusetts
Partners HealthCare: 58,004 employees
University of Massachusetts: 24,086 employees
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC: 21,811 employees
Source: Boston Business Journal 2017
Accreditation for Colleges in Massachusetts
When choosing the right school for you, be sure to choose one that is accredited. Academic accreditation is important because it signals to employers and other universities that you've earned a high quality degree. There are two main types of accreditation: regional and national. Regional accreditation is considered more prestigious than national accreditation and is typically earned by public, nonprofit universities. On the other hand, national accreditation is typically pursued by for-profit colleges and trade or vocational schools. In Massachusetts, you'll want to look for schools that have received regional accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
Regional accreditation is considered more prestigious than national accreditation and is typically earned by public, nonprofit universities.
Resources for Students in Massachusetts
DHE Data Center : This organization produces reports from public higher education institutions on demographics, financial aid, and graduation records. These reports allows students to cross-reference and compare specific performance statistics, which can be helpful when comparing two universities.
Future Ready Massachusetts : This site includes numerous resources for families of prospective students and high school graduates who are planning to begin college study. The site includes information on the definition of college and career readiness in the state, as approved by the Board of Elementary & Secondary Education and the Board of Higher Education, as well as the Reach Higher Massachusetts Initiative.
Commonwealth Commitment : This is a form of scholarship for students who combine study at a community college and university. The site also includes several tools and resources, such as a map of schools in the state and essential guides for transfer students.
Mass. Gov. Consumer Resources : This site provides legal information on certain demographics such as young adults, veterans, minorities, and immigrants. It also includes resource guides and consumer resources related to financial aid, student loans, and fees.
MDHE college directories and maps: This site hosts directories and interactive maps which list all the public colleges in Massachusetts. There are also maps and listings in the form of downloadable documents, as well as information on fees and program descriptions.