Best Community Colleges in Massachusetts

Why Attend Community College in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has an eye-popping amount of opportunities for students who are looking to take advantage of community college. With nearly 750 different job types (742 to be exact), the Bay State is one of the leaders nationwide. For example, Louisiana is the national median for such positions (722 alternatives in total), and Massachusetts ranks nearly 3% higher with a total of 742 unique job types.

On top of this, Massachusetts employs an impressive 2.41% of the nation’s total labor force, a large number by any measure. This is enough to rank them in the best third of all states total employment, something that many states can’t brag about. The number itself comes out to be around 3.3 million employed, a figure that eclipses the median state Oregon by more than 1.5 million jobs.

What Career Pathways Are Available in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts boasts many different career pathways, giving you the opportunity to pursue your passions while staying within the Bay State. For consumer and corporate level products, many individuals find their home in the production and manufacturing field - and Massachusetts has some of the best in the nation. Other great choices are healthcare, research, communications, and of course technology.

When it comes to median salary (58,540 as of the end of 2023, currently 2nd highest in the USA), the Bay State again ranks high in comparison with Ohio (the national median state) who pays only $39,680 each year (a difference of nearly 19,000, or 48% higher). In the software development field, Massachusetts competes well against the industry leader (California), with a median salary for said field nearly $30k higher than their western neighbor - clocking in at an impressive $128,160 - close to 4% higher than the nation median of $123,820 (which is held by Washington).

What Are The Most Common Jobs in Massachusetts?

When it comes to the most common jobs in Massachusetts, a few come to mind. First and foremost, customer service reps can be found on a large scale in the state, and Massachusetts is no exception. The position has a total of 59,160 in the state of Massachusetts by the end of 2023 - the 16th most of any state - making it one of the more prevalent jobs in the area. Surprisingly, the pay isn’t as good in Massachusetts as it is in other states - it’s actually the 2nd worst in the nation with a median pay of only $45,000, 94% lower than the leader (Texas) who clocks in an impressive $5520,000.

Software developers are also quite common, with 58,980 employed in the state, making Massachusetts the 7th most, again, behind the nation leader (California’s 228,240). This field is one of the best to be in, as far as pay goes, as the state currently holds the 4th best median salary in the nation at $128,160, 94% above the national median of $123,820.

Lastly, office clerks round out the most common three in the state, with 49,950 employed as of the end of 2023 - ranking Massachusetts in the 19th position. In terms of compensation, the state falls slightly above the national median of 37,000 but is still 12% below the highest-paying state, California. The state's median pay for office clerk is $43,420 - which lands it as the 7th best in the USA, though the potential for a 41% bonus can bump this figure up tremendously (this assumes a salary in the 90th percentile according to the BLS).