Best colleges for art and design in Massachusetts
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in art or design, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for art and design in Massachusetts44 schools
44 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Massachusetts.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in art or design, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Williams College
Williamstown, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 2
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 3
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 4
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 5
Tufts University
Medford, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 6
Boston University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B+ · Top 32%
- 7
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 8
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 9
Smith College
Northampton, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 10
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 11
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 12
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 13
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B+ · Top 28%
- 14
Clark University
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 15
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 16
Simmons University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B
- 17
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Norton, MA · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 18Tie
Endicott College
Beverly, MA · Private nonprofitTop 14% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 18Tie
Stonehill College
Easton, MA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 20
Springfield College
Springfield, MA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 21
Gordon College
Wenham, MA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 22
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, MA · PublicTop 20% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 23
Assumption University
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 24Tie
Emmanuel College
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 24Tie
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams College | About $18,000 | $12,761 | $88,665 | 94% |
| Harvard University | About $19,000 | $14,000 | $101,817 | 98% |
| Wellesley College | About $25,000 | $10,000 | $84,803 | 92% |
| Amherst College | About $23,000 | $13,740 | $77,644 | 94% |
| Tufts University | About $40,000 | $16,250 | $83,214 | 94% |
| Boston University | About $24,000 | $23,250 | $83,238 | 89% |
| Boston College | About $42,000 | $19,000 | $103,937 | 91% |
| Northeastern University | About $31,000 | $24,250 | $92,538 | 91% |
| Smith College | About $28,000 | $17,550 | $64,027 | 89% |
| College of the Holy Cross | About $39,000 | $27,000 | $90,543 | 87% |
| Mount Holyoke College | About $26,000 | $22,902 | $58,418 | 84% |
| Brandeis University | About $36,000 | $25,648 | $77,231 | 86% |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | About $22,000 | $22,763 | $71,631 | 83% |
| Clark University | About $29,000 | $26,759 | $62,381 | 77% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | About $43,000 | $27,000 | $103,470 | 90% |
| Simmons University | About $25,000 | $24,840 | $63,494 | 72% |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | About $30,000 | $26,000 | $67,725 | 73% |
| Endicott College | About $41,000 | $27,000 | $58,336 | 76% |
| Stonehill College | About $33,000 | $25,000 | $77,745 | 76% |
| Springfield College | About $31,000 | $26,250 | $48,036 | 74% |
| Gordon College | About $25,000 | $26,250 | $52,119 | 69% |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell | About $17,000 | $23,704 | $64,874 | 65% |
| Assumption University | About $29,000 | $27,000 | $74,895 | 75% |
| Emmanuel College | About $27,000 | $27,000 | $68,245 | 68% |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology | About $34,000 | $25,028 | $82,721 | 68% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 19
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 17
- California 75
- Colorado 15
- Connecticut 21
- Delaware 3
- District of Columbia 7
- Florida 29
- Georgia 32
- Hawaii 5
- Idaho 6
- Illinois 47
- Indiana 36
- Iowa 24
- Kansas 21
- Kentucky 22
- Louisiana 16
- Maine 13
- Maryland 20
- Michigan 30
- Minnesota 30
- Mississippi 7
- Missouri 32
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 15
- Nevada 4
- New Hampshire 8
- New Jersey 26
- New Mexico 6
- New York 85
- North Carolina 39
- North Dakota 5
- Ohio 59
- Oklahoma 15
- Oregon 14
- Pennsylvania 74
- Puerto Rico 17
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 25
- South Dakota 9
- Tennessee 27
- Texas 54
- Utah 8
- Vermont 8
- Virginia 33
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 11
- Wisconsin 29