Colleges in Massachusetts: ACT scores and what they really cost.
65 four-year colleges in Massachusetts, 31 of which publish an admitted ACT range. The lowest average net price among MA schools is $13,381 a year at Worcester State University, after grant and scholarship aid. Sorted cheapest first. All figures from the U.S. Department of Education.
Worcester State University
Fitchburg State University
Bay Path University
Salem State University
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Framingham State University
Bridgewater State University
Westfield State University
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
College of Our Lady of the Elms
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Williams College
Boston Baptist College
Harvard University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
American International College
Amherst College
Northpoint Bible College
Hampshire College
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Boston University
Gordon College
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
Hellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
Simmons University
Wellesley College
Mount Holyoke College
Fisher College
Emmanuel College
Western New England University
Regis College
Lasell University
Smith College
Anna Maria College
Clark University
Curry College
Assumption University
Suffolk University
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Springfield College
Dean College
Northeastern University
Cambridge College
Lesley University
Stonehill College
Nichols College
Montserrat College of Art
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Brandeis University
Merrimack College
Bentley University
College of the Holy Cross
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Tufts University
Babson College
Endicott College
Boston College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Hult International Business School
The New England Conservatory of Music
Emerson College
Berklee College of Music
Net price is total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, books) minus grant and scholarship aid, for students receiving federal aid. Admitted ACT range is the 25th to 75th percentile of admitted students; schools that do not publish a range may still accept ACT scores. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Common questions
How many four-year colleges are in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts (MA) has 65 four-year colleges reporting an average net price to the U.S. Department of Education. 31 of them publish an admitted ACT score range; the rest are test-optional or do not report one, though they may still accept ACT scores.
What is the cheapest college in Massachusetts?
By average net price after grant and scholarship aid, Worcester State University in Worcester is the least expensive four-year college in Massachusetts at $13,381 a year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus aid that does not need to be repaid, for students receiving federal aid. What a specific family pays varies by household income.
Are public colleges cheaper than private colleges in Massachusetts?
Usually, but not always. Among Massachusetts's 13 public colleges the median net price is $16,721 a year, against $29,498 across 52 private colleges. Private schools often discount heavily through grant aid, so a private college can cost a specific family less than a public one despite a far higher sticker price.
Does household income change what college costs in Massachusetts?
Substantially. Across Massachusetts colleges the median net price is $18,334 a year for a family earning under $30,000 and $34,461 for one earning over $110,000, at the same schools. The average price a college publishes blends every income level together, so it may be far from what any particular family pays.