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Best colleges in Massachusetts, ranked by ROI

We rank all 85 Massachusetts institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $24,883/yr (above the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $57,346 ten years out (above the $43,549 national median). Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads, clearing its cost in 0.8 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$24,883
Median net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$57,346
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
5.4 yrs
Median payback
Our math, 2026
85
Colleges ranked
degreedividend.com
Massachusetts colleges by payback (best first)
#CollegeNet price/yrEarnings 10yPayback
1Massachusetts Institute of Technology$20,111$143,3720.8 yrs
2Franklin W Olin College of Engineering$25,171$129,4551.2 yrs
3Harvard University$19,066$101,8171.4 yrs
4Williams College$17,716$88,6651.8 yrs
5Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences$39,545$125,5572 yrs
6Babson College$40,514$123,9382.1 yrs
7Bentley University$37,930$120,9592.1 yrs
8Middlesex Community College$2,624$50,6512.3 yrs
9Massachusetts Maritime Academy$21,582$82,3922.5 yrs
10Boston University$24,402$83,2382.8 yrs
11Northeastern University$30,915$92,5382.8 yrs
12Wellesley College$25,496$84,8032.8 yrs
13Boston College$41,704$103,9373 yrs
14Worcester Polytechnic Institute$43,071$103,4703.1 yrs
15Amherst College$23,367$77,6443.2 yrs
16Massachusetts Bay Community College$7,169$52,6543.3 yrs
17College of the Holy Cross$38,782$90,5433.7 yrs
18University of Massachusetts-Amherst$22,383$71,6313.8 yrs
19University of Massachusetts-Boston$17,707$65,8654 yrs
20Wentworth Institute of Technology$34,170$82,7214 yrs
21University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth$20,927$68,8044.1 yrs
22University of Massachusetts-Lowell$17,163$64,8744.2 yrs
23Assumption University$29,498$74,8954.4 yrs
24Western New England University$27,290$73,1574.4 yrs
25Worcester State University$13,381$60,6244.4 yrs
26Stonehill College$33,016$77,7454.5 yrs
27Tufts University$39,998$83,2144.6 yrs
28Brandeis University$35,736$77,2315 yrs
29Laboure College of Healthcare$36,863$62,2005.3 yrs
30Emmanuel College$26,706$68,2455.4 yrs
31Merrimack College$37,927$75,5845.6 yrs
32Suffolk University$29,618$67,5066.2 yrs
33Wheaton College (Massachusetts)$29,822$67,7256.2 yrs
34Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology$15,488$57,5566.7 yrs
35Simmons University$25,265$63,4946.7 yrs
36Smith College$27,579$64,0277 yrs
37Bridgewater State University$16,383$57,4667.2 yrs
38Westfield State University$16,721$57,3467.4 yrs
39Boston Architectural College$25,865$62,1237.5 yrs
40Salem State University$15,996$56,6627.7 yrs
41Bay Path University$14,271$55,3838.1 yrs
42Clark University$28,714$62,3818.2 yrs
43Quincy College$17,126$52,5068.3 yrs
44Fitchburg State University$14,262$53,87410.3 yrs
45Mount Holyoke College$26,441$58,41810.5 yrs
46National Aviation Academy of New England$27,871$59,00910.5 yrs
47Emerson College$49,180$62,83213.6 yrs
48Nichols College$33,036$58,06313.6 yrs
49New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Massachusetts$16,164$53,08513.7 yrs
50Framingham State University$16,114$52,34916.2 yrs
51Endicott College$40,654$58,33616.3 yrs
52Curry College$29,207$54,40019.3 yrs
53American International College$23,274$53,12419.5 yrs
54College of Our Lady of the Elms$17,545$51,54022.1 yrs
55Regis College$27,477$52,87324.4 yrs
56Gordon College$24,883$52,11926.5 yrs
57Lesley University$31,152$51,17344.3 yrs
58Fisher College$26,649$49,66981.4 yrs
59Lasell University$27,511$49,70581.8 yrs
60Bunker Hill Community College$7,818$47,618no payback
61Massasoit Community College$8,460$46,111no payback
62Quinsigamond Community College$9,090$45,949no payback
63Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts$16,068$48,102no payback
64North Shore Community College$9,000$45,391no payback
65Motoring Technical Training Institute$20,255$48,281no payback
66Cape Cod Community College$8,296$43,670no payback
67Northern Essex Community College$6,046$42,862no payback
68Hampshire College$24,034$46,938no payback
69Springfield College$30,587$48,036no payback
70Anna Maria College$28,333$46,651no payback
71Mount Wachusett Community College$7,931$41,118no payback
72Cambridge College$31,072$45,998no payback
73Massachusetts College of Art and Design$24,100$43,582no payback
74Bristol Community College$5,547$38,663no payback
75Berkshire Community College$9,921$38,832no payback
76Roxbury Community College$12,244$38,773no payback
77Holyoke Community College$8,068$37,277no payback
78Springfield Technical Community College$5,662$36,966no payback
79Greenfield Community College$7,679$37,132no payback
80Urban College of Boston$6,957$35,472no payback
81Dean College$30,684$38,109no payback
82Montserrat College of Art$33,216$33,022no payback
83The New England Conservatory of Music$46,754$34,483no payback
84Berklee College of Music$49,465$33,647no payback
85Spa Tech Institute-Plymouth$31,895$27,803no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Massachusetts: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It charges $20,111/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $143,372 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 0.8 years — the fastest payback of the 85 Massachusetts colleges we track.
How much does college cost in Massachusetts?
The median net price across Massachusetts colleges is $24,883/yr after grants and scholarships — above the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.
What do Massachusetts college graduates earn?
A median $57,346 ten years after entry (Scorecard), above the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.
How many Massachusetts colleges pay for themselves?
59 of the 85 Massachusetts colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.