College Costs in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Colleges, Cost and Affordability for 2027
How much does it cost to attend college in Massachusetts? The average annual in-state college tuition in Massachusetts was $35,137 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is $17,327 higher than the U.S. average and ranks Massachusetts amongst the costliest as the 4th most expensive state or district to attend college. This is a change of $5,057 from the 2022-2023 average of $30,080 and represents a 16.81% annual increase in tuition costs. The list of Massachusetts colleges below provides school specific cost and value rating.
This analysis surveyed tuition data from the 92 colleges and universities in Massachusetts, the most popular being Boston University with 29,259 full time students and an in-state tuition list price of $68,102. Tufts University is the most expensive in Massachusetts with an in-state tuition of $70,704.
All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey and reflect reported costs for academic year 2024/2025.
Harvard University
- Private 4 Year
- Cambridge, MA
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
- $61,676 tuition
- Jan 1 application deadline
Harvard is an Ivy League university known for undergraduate economics, government, and the sciences. Most upperclass students live in residential houses that organize dining and social life.
- SAT Range 1510-1580
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Acceptance Rate 4%
- Net Price $17,525
Boston University
- Private 4 Year
- Boston, MA
-
3.4 | 11 reviews
- $68,102 tuition
- Jan 4 application deadline
Boston University is a private university known for undergraduate communications, business, and international relations. The urban campus stretches along Commonwealth Avenue beside the Charles River.
- SAT Range 1420-1530
- Avg GPA 3.79
- Acceptance Rate 11%
- Net Price $24,420
Boston College
- Private 4 Year
- Chestnut Hill, MA
-
5.0 | 5 reviews
- $70,702 tuition
- Jan 1 application deadline
Boston College is a highly selective private Jesuit university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and the liberal arts. The residential campus sits in suburban Chestnut Hill just outside Boston.
- SAT Range 1440-1540
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.86
- Acceptance Rate 16%
- Net Price $32,519
University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Public 4 Year
- Amherst, MA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $17,772 tuition
- Jan 15 application deadline
UMass Amherst is a large public university known for undergraduate computer science, business, and engineering. Students can cross-register at nearby colleges through the Five College Consortium in the Pioneer Valley.
- SAT Range 1310-1500
- Avg GPA 3.99
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $22,948
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Private 4 Year
- Cambridge, MA
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- $62,396 tuition
- Jan 1 application deadline
MIT is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and the physical sciences. The compact urban campus sits along the Charles River in Cambridge.
- SAT Range 1520-1580
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.96
- Acceptance Rate 5%
- Net Price $20,996
Northeastern University
- Private 4 Year
- Boston, MA
-
4.7 | 6 reviews
- $66,162 tuition
- Jan 1 application deadline
Northeastern is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and health sciences. The urban campus sits in Boston's Fenway neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1440-1540
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.91
- Acceptance Rate 5%
- Net Price $34,207
Tufts University
- Private 4 Year
- Medford, MA
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- $70,704 tuition
- Jan 1 application deadline
Tufts is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate international relations and biology. Most undergrads live on a residential hilltop campus in the Boston suburbs of Medford and Somerville.
- SAT Range 1470-1560
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.91
- Acceptance Rate 11%
- Net Price $32,367
Emerson College
- Private 4 Year
- Boston, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- $57,056 tuition
- Feb 20 application deadline
Emerson is a private college known for undergraduate journalism, film, and performing arts. The urban campus sits in Boston's Theater District near Boston Common.
- SAT Range 1270-1420
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 51%
- Net Price $53,432
Babson College
- Private 4 Year
- Wellesley, MA
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- $57,152 tuition
- Jan 3 application deadline
Babson is a private college known for undergraduate entrepreneurship and business. The suburban campus is in Wellesley near Boston.
- SAT Range 1390-1530
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.79
- Acceptance Rate 17%
- Net Price $32,019
Amherst College
- Private 4 Year
- Amherst, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- $70,480 tuition
- Jan 2 application deadline
Amherst is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, English, and political science. Students follow an open curriculum, and the campus sits in a classic New England college town.
- SAT Range 1490-1580
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.91
- Acceptance Rate 9%
- Net Price $19,049
Bentley University
- Private 4 Year
- Waltham, MA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $61,000 tuition
- Jan 15 application deadline
Bentley is a private university known for undergraduate business, accounting, and finance. The suburban campus sits in Waltham just west of Boston.
- SAT Range 1280-1430
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 45%
- Net Price $45,802
Brandeis University
- Private 4 Year
- Waltham, MA
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- $68,080 tuition
Brandeis is a private university known for undergraduate neuroscience, biology, and the social sciences. The suburban campus in Waltham sits just west of Boston.
- SAT Range 1390-1520
- Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 40%
- Net Price $43,550
Bridgewater State University
- Public 4 Year
- Bridgewater, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- $11,808 tuition
- Feb 15 application deadline
Bridgewater State is a public university known for undergraduate education and aviation science. The campus is set in the small town of Bridgewater in southeastern Massachusetts.
- SAT Range 1060-1263
- Avg GPA 3.21
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $15,646
Williams College
- Private 4 Year
- Williamstown, MA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- $68,560 tuition
- Jan 10 application deadline
Williams is a highly selective liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics and Oxford-style tutorials. Most students live on the rural campus in the Berkshires town of Williamstown.
- SAT Range 1490-1570
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.94
- Acceptance Rate 8%
- Net Price $15,894
Dean College
- Private 4 Year
- Franklin, MA
-
1.0 | 1 reviews
- $46,526 tuition
- Sep 1 application deadline
Dean is a small private college known for undergraduate dance, theater, and performing arts. The residential campus sits in suburban Franklin, southwest of Boston.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 2.88
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $32,085
Salem State University
- Public 4 Year
- Salem, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- $12,338 tuition
- Jun 1 application deadline
Salem State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and social work. The campus sits in the historic coastal city of Salem north of Boston.
- SAT Range 990-1160
- Avg GPA 3.17
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $17,541
Wellesley College
- Private 4 Year
- Wellesley, MA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $67,176 tuition
- Jan 8 application deadline
Wellesley is a highly selective private women's liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, political science, and the sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in a Boston suburb about twelve miles west of the city.
- SAT Range 1460-1560
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.86
- Acceptance Rate 14%
- Net Price $22,174
Endicott College
- Private 4 Year
- Beverly, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- $40,650 tuition
- Feb 15 application deadline
Endicott is a private college known for undergraduate hospitality management, nursing, and business. The oceanfront campus sits along the North Shore coastline in Beverly.
- SAT Range 1193-1340
- Avg GPA 3.55
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $41,394