College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is a tiny state, but it’s home to a huge number of colleges and universities. Payscale can help you narrow down the very long list of possibilities that you have to choose from with our college ROI data. By treating tuition like any other investment, we use our salary database to calculate the best value colleges in Massachusetts so that you can determine if a particular school is a good investment.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name:_50px.png) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,378,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$302,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$55,200 |
| Rank:2 | School Name: Harvard University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,032,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$311,000 | Graduation Rate:98% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,000 |
| Rank:3 | School Name:_50px.png) Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,001,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$292,000 | Graduation Rate:89% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$56,700 |
| Rank:4 | School Name: Massachusetts Maritime Academy (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$965,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$120,000 | Graduation Rate:79% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$43,400 |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Babson College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$964,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$301,000 | Graduation Rate:93% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,500 |
| Rank:6 | School Name:Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$906,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$179,000 | Graduation Rate:79% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$43,400 |
| Rank:7 | School Name: Williams College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$792,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$301,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$16,600 |
| Rank:8 | School Name: MCPHS University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$791,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$236,000 | Graduation Rate:61% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$57,400 |
| Rank:9 | School Name: Bentley University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$769,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$299,000 | Graduation Rate:88% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$46,400 |
| Rank:10 | School Name: - Lowell Campus_50px.png) University of Massachusetts-Lowell (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$714,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$128,000 | Graduation Rate:71% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$28,700 |
Massachusetts is home to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which, located in Cambridge, is world famous for its science, engineering, technology, math and design programs. Attending MIT isn’t exactly cheap, but the school is the optimal choice for students who are interested in engineering, management, science, digital arts and technology. If you attend MIT, you’ll join an impressive list of alumni including Buzz Aldrin, Kofi Annan, Ben Bernanke, Benjamin Netanyahu and Tom Scholz. Surprisingly, movie star Will Smith is also an MIT alum.
Another educational institution that provides students with a high ROI is Babson College, located in Wellesley. Babson may not be the most well-known of Massachusetts colleges, but if you are interested in an undergraduate business degree, Babson, which also topped Money Magazine’s Best Colleges for Your Money ranking in 2014, is an excellent choice. Many notable people graduated from Babson College, and two of them come from some of the most prominent families in the auto industry; alum Akio Toyoda is currently President and CEO of the Toyota Motor Corporation, and alum Edsel Ford II is the Director of the Ford Motor Company. This list also includes world-renowned athletes, including Olympic Gold Medalist Alexandra Raisman and former NFL player Matt Chatham.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is another excellent educational value for students interested in an engineering or technical career. Worcester Polytechnic Institute has a distinguished list of graduates that includes Elwood Haynes, William Hobbs, Kotaro Shimomura, John Woodman Higgins and Robert H. Goddard.
Probably the most famous school in Massachusetts is Harvard University. This Ivy League academic powerhouse produces alumni who earn a wide variety of degrees beyond STEM, with a big focus on liberal arts subjects, humanities, social sciences, and more.
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