University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs in Massachusetts.
A state’s employment options and industries often have a strong effect on the education you can find there. After all, those states with heavy mining must also produce mining experts and engineers. Those with a focus on green energy must produce wind and solar engineers and technicians who can service these sectors.
In 2021, employment in Massachusetts stayed fairly stable. Beginning in August 2021, the revised employment number included 3,758.9 million in the workforce. The state unemployment rate tracked along with the national rate, starting with a high of 5.5% in August 2021 and dipping to 4.8% in January 2022.
Employment in Massachusetts’ many industries, of course, varies. The 12-month percentage change in mining and logging, for instance, was notable for its drop in employment, as was leisure and hospitality. However, by the end of the year, employment had rebounded in both these industries.
Top 10 Best Online Associate & Community Colleges in Massachusetts
1
Bristol Community College
Score: 79.89
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,412
- Out-of-State:$10,356
- Net Price: $6,204
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 59%
- Graduation Rate: 22%
- Total Enrollment: 5,822
- Undergrad Students: 5,822
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $37,300
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
2
Mount Wachusett Community College
Score: 79.32
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,000
- Out-of-State:$10,920
- Net Price: $7,889
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 53%
- Graduation Rate: 27%
- Total Enrollment: 2,868
- Undergrad Students: 2,868
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $38,400
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
3
Quinsigamond Community College
Score: 77.68
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,974
- Out-of-State:$10,918
- Net Price: $6,809
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 55%
- Graduation Rate: 21%
- Total Enrollment: 6,481
- Undergrad Students: 6,481
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $38,800
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
4
Massachusetts Bay Community College
Score: 77.4
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,616
- Out-of-State:$10,560
- Net Price: $6,872
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 54%
- Graduation Rate: 18%
- Total Enrollment: 3,497
- Undergrad Students: 3,497
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $41,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
5
Holyoke Community College
Score: 75.2
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,810
- Out-of-State:$10,754
- Net Price: $7,927
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 59%
- Graduation Rate: 25%
- Total Enrollment: 3,550
- Undergrad Students: 3,550
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $35,100
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Top 25 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts
1
Harvard University
Score: 96.55
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $59,076
- Out-of-State:$59,076
- Net Price: $19,491
- Acceptance Rate: 3%
- Retention Rate: 98%
- Graduation Rate: 98%
- Total Enrollment: 30,631
- Undergrad Students: 9,368
- Graduate Students: 21,263
- Grads Salary: $96,000
- Student-to-faculty: 7:1
2
Tufts University
Score: 85.41
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $67,844
- Out-of-State:$67,844
- Net Price: $30,479
- Acceptance Rate: 10%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 94%
- Total Enrollment: 13,431
- Undergrad Students: 6,815
- Graduate Students: 6,616
- Grads Salary: $87,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
3
Babson College
Score: 80.58
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $56,032
- Out-of-State:$56,032
- Net Price: $28,400
- Acceptance Rate: 22%
- Retention Rate: 95%
- Graduation Rate: 93%
- Total Enrollment: 3,989
- Undergrad Students: 2,761
- Graduate Students: 1,228
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
4
Northeastern University
Score: 79.94
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $63,141
- Out-of-State:$63,141
- Net Price: $35,827
- Acceptance Rate: 7%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 91%
- Total Enrollment: 30,013
- Undergrad Students: 16,302
- Graduate Students: 13,711
- Grads Salary: $87,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
5
Regis College
Score: 78.3
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $47,770
- Out-of-State:$47,770
- Net Price: $30,014
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 3,230
- Undergrad Students: 1,121
- Graduate Students: 2,109
- Grads Salary: $100,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
6
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Score: 77.01
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $17,357
- Out-of-State:$39,293
- Net Price: $22,291
- Acceptance Rate: 64%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 83%
- Total Enrollment: 32,229
- Undergrad Students: 24,391
- Graduate Students: 7,838
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
7
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Score: 76.2
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $59,070
- Out-of-State:$59,070
- Net Price: $46,876
- Acceptance Rate: 57%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 89%
- Total Enrollment: 7,308
- Undergrad Students: 5,246
- Graduate Students: 2,062
- Grads Salary: $95,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
8
Assumption University
Score: 74.59
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $49,414
- Out-of-State:$49,414
- Net Price: $28,911
- Acceptance Rate: 82%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 2,059
- Undergrad Students: 1,704
- Graduate Students: 355
- Grads Salary: $86,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
9
Simmons University
Score: 74.5
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $45,538
- Out-of-State:$45,538
- Net Price: $24,423
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 74%
- Total Enrollment: 5,710
- Undergrad Students: 1,788
- Graduate Students: 3,922
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 7:1
10
Brandeis University
Score: 72.63
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $64,946
- Out-of-State:$64,946
- Net Price: $45,565
- Acceptance Rate: 39%
- Retention Rate: 92%
- Graduation Rate: 87%
- Total Enrollment: 5,581
- Undergrad Students: 3,687
- Graduate Students: 1,894
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
11
Western New England University
Score: 71.16
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $46,430
- Out-of-State:$46,430
- Net Price: $30,214
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 3,430
- Undergrad Students: 2,406
- Graduate Students: 1,024
- Grads Salary: $84,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
12
MCPHS University
Score: 70.9
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $38,850
- Out-of-State:$38,850
- Net Price: $38,776
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 61%
- Total Enrollment: 6,824
- Undergrad Students: 3,522
- Graduate Students: 3,302
- Grads Salary: $97,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
13
Fitchburg State University
Score: 70.33
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,046
- Out-of-State:$17,126
- Net Price: $15,535
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 6,554
- Undergrad Students: 3,168
- Graduate Students: 3,386
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
14
Framingham State University
Score: 68.67
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,630
- Out-of-State:$17,710
- Net Price: $17,715
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 4,111
- Undergrad Students: 2,970
- Graduate Students: 1,141
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
15
Salem State University
Score: 68.46
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,978
- Out-of-State:$18,961
- Net Price: $19,277
- Acceptance Rate: 93%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 6,539
- Undergrad Students: 5,078
- Graduate Students: 1,461
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
16
Cambridge College
Score: 68.34
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $18,072
- Out-of-State:$18,072
- Net Price: $21,178
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Total Enrollment: 2,135
- Undergrad Students: 840
- Graduate Students: 1,295
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
17
College of Our Lady of the Elms
Score: 67.61
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $42,061
- Out-of-State:$42,061
- Net Price: $23,498
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 75%
- Total Enrollment: 1,275
- Undergrad Students: 980
- Graduate Students: 295
- Grads Salary: $63,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
18
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
Score: 67.16
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $15,208
- Out-of-State:$31,750
- Net Price: $19,700
- Acceptance Rate: 96%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 7,457
- Undergrad Students: 5,517
- Graduate Students: 1,940
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
19
Emmanuel College
Score: 66.65
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $46,686
- Out-of-State:$46,686
- Net Price: $32,273
- Acceptance Rate: 80%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 66%
- Total Enrollment: 2,012
- Undergrad Students: 1,947
- Graduate Students: 65
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
20
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Score: 66.32
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $41,010
- Out-of-State:$41,010
- Net Price: $37,901
- Acceptance Rate: 92%
- Retention Rate: 82%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 3,920
- Undergrad Students: 3,713
- Graduate Students: 207
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
21
Endicott College
Score: 66.3
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $39,212
- Out-of-State:$39,212
- Net Price: $39,496
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 4,006
- Undergrad Students: 3,062
- Graduate Students: 944
- Grads Salary: $72,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
22
Nichols College
Score: 65.81
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $40,375
- Out-of-State:$40,375
- Net Price: $27,192
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 58%
- Total Enrollment: 1,403
- Undergrad Students: 1,164
- Graduate Students: 239
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
23
Merrimack College
Score: 65.42
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $51,786
- Out-of-State:$51,786
- Net Price: $37,296
- Acceptance Rate: 75%
- Retention Rate: 82%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
- Total Enrollment: 5,505
- Undergrad Students: 4,229
- Graduate Students: 1,276
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
24
Curry College
Score: 64.51
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $46,220
- Out-of-State:$46,220
- Net Price: $31,091
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 62%
- Graduation Rate: 52%
- Total Enrollment: 2,052
- Undergrad Students: 1,833
- Graduate Students: 219
- Grads Salary: $83,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
25
Bridgewater State University
Score: 64.35
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,389
- Out-of-State:$17,529
- Net Price: $17,225
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 9,604
- Undergrad Students: 8,116
- Graduate Students: 1,488
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
