Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Schools are assigned a value from 1-100, where 100 is best for students from households earning up to $30,000. This value is multiplied by the percentage of the school’s student body that received a Pell Grant, to calculate the economic mobility score. A higher score is better. Read the full explanation
The percentage of a school’s student body that has received a Pell Grant.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
The best colleges in Massachusetts go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in first place and Harvard University in second place. When it comes to historic and elite universities and colleges, very few states can compete with Massachusetts. While most of its storied private universities are based in and around Boston, its liberal arts schools can be found in small towns and villages across the state that radiate colonial New England charm.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$20,338
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$143,372
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate96%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$19,500
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$101,817
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate98%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$25,924
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$129,455
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate95%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$34,994
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$123,938
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate94%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$39,699
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$120,959
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate90%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$26,775
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$88,665
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate96%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$23,052
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$84,803
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate94%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$39,090
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$103,937
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate92%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$25,035
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$77,644
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate96%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$37,351
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$125,557
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate78%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$27,779
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$83,238
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate89%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$28,521
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$92,538
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate89%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$39,310
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$90,543
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate93%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$25,294
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$82,392
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate84%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
#15 in Massachusetts|#113 in National Universities
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$44,100
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$103,470
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate90%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
#16 in Massachusetts|#115 in National Universities
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$35,123
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$83,214
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate94%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
#17 in Massachusetts|#116 in National Universities
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$21,846
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$71,631
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate82%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$29,952
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$77,745
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate82%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
#19 in Massachusetts|#174 in National Universities
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$35,439
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$77,231
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate89%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
#20 in Massachusetts|#190 in National Universities
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$17,642
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$65,865
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate58%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
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us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
Average income based on education level
The following figures are the average salaries in Massachusetts for each level of education.
Average Income
The average income of people in this state with a high-school diploma, certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, 10 years after enrollment, based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
HS Diploma$42,196
Certificate$56,044
Associate$53,646
Bachelor$64,709
Master$81,311
Cost of attending college in Massachusetts
In-state-tuition$39,325
The average in-state tuition, before financial aid, of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Out-of-state-tuition$41,563
The average tuition for out-of-state students, before financial aid of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Most popular degrees in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts the most popular degrees are Business Administration, Registered Nursing, and General Psychology. To create this list, we complied and analyzed data from IPEDS and College Scorecard.
They both provide information on how many graduates each program has annually. The list below is both undergraduate- and graduate-level programs.
Popular degrees
1Business Administration 9,678graduates
2Registered Nursing 4,951graduates
3General Psychology 3,269graduates
4Computer Science 3,253graduates
5Quantitative methods Mgmt. 3,125graduates
6Economics 2,682graduates
7Biology 2,664graduates
8Computer and Information Sciences 2,081graduates
9Finance 2,050graduates
10Mechanical Engineering 1,940graduates
Fastest growing careers
Massachusetts job growth
21%
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
124.2%
Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
66.9%
Statisticians
57.5%
Nurse Practitioners
55.7%
Information Security Analysts
50.7%
Veterinarians
42%
Massage Therapists
40.9%
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
40.1%
Epidemiologists
40%
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
39%
Best bachelor’s degrees in Massachusetts
These majors are most likely to pay off economically after graduation.
Program NamesEconomic Score
1Biomathematics, informatics, and Computational Biology 1.14
2Materials Engineering 1.45
3Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering 1.5
4Fire Protection 1.54
5Social Sciences 1.63
6Marine Transportation 1.71
7Polymer/Plastics Engineering 2.17
8Chemical Engineering 2.29
9Biomedical/Medical Engineering 2.4
10Registered Nursing 2.53
11Statistics 2.71
12Manufacturing Engineering 2.72
13Aerospace Engineering 2.77
14Industrial Engr. Tech 2.78
15Computer Engineering 2.81
16Agricultural Business & Management 2.83
17Mechanical Engr. Tech 2.99
18Construction Mgmt. 3.01
19Electrical Engineering 3.02
20Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. 3.05
Best colleges for social mobility in Massachusetts
Higher education is supposed to act as an economic elevator that lifts students from low-income households into the middle class. But not all colleges do this: unfortunately, many of the nation’s most “prestigious” schools accept very few students from low-income backgrounds.
To determine what colleges are doing the best job at lifting students out of poverty, we have devised a Social Mobility Index (SMI).
The best colleges for social mobility in Massachusetts are shown below.
Bachelor's degree holders or higher
43.6%
Filters
Massachusetts
21%
