Best Colleges in Massachusetts

Why Should I Consider Studying in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts offers prospective college students a wide range of cultural and academic experiences. Students can access a variety of schools regardless of their preferences—from large educational institutions to small colleges offering liberal arts programs.

Boston boasts some of America’s top universities, including MIT, Harvard, and Boston University. Students can complete various courses, including engineering, humanities, science, and law. However, students can also enjoy the state’s many recreational and cultural opportunities.

The state’s largest public university is the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, just outside Boston. Students can choose from a wide range of university courses across different disciplines.

You’ll find one of America’s leading liberal arts colleges, Williams College, in the western part of Massachusetts. The school offers a good blend of academic programs with a vibrant social atmosphere. The University of Massachusetts at Lowell is another school in this part of the state with top programs in engineering and computer sciences.

In the central part of the state, you can find colleges offering rural experiences, including Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and Hampshire College.

Massachusetts Higher Education By The Numbers

Colleges in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has the 12th most colleges in the United States with 142 colleges. For some perspective, that is 77% fewer colleges than the leading state. 70% of colleges in Massachusetts are private and 30% of its colleges are public. (100 private colleges & 42 public colleges). It has the 17th most public colleges and the 10th most private colleges in the USA.

Our favorite public colleges in Massachusetts are University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Our favorite private colleges are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and Franklin W Olin College of Engineering. Boston University is the biggest top 25 college (42,047 students).

Students in Massachusetts

The average state has 508,837 college students. Massachusetts has 21% more. There are 263,581 public college students and 353,603 private college students in Massachusetts. It has more public college students than 54% of states and more pivate college students than 90% of states. Its 617,184 total students make it the 13th most popular locale in the US. 57% of students in Massachusetts are in private colleges which is the 3rd highest percentage coast-to-coast.