Best colleges in Massachusetts
Every accredited four-year college ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.
Best colleges in Massachusetts67 schools
67 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.
- 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
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Massachusetts
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 96% graduate
- 2
Williams College
Williamstown, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 94% graduate
- 3
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 98% graduate
- 4
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 92% graduate
- 5
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 94% graduate
- 6
Tufts University
Medford, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for graduation
- Value grade B-
- 94% graduate
- 7
Boston University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B+ · Top 32%
- 89% graduate
- 8
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Value grade B-
- 91% graduate
- 9
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Value grade B-
- 91% graduate
- 10
- 11Tie
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
Needham, MA · Private nonprofitTop 1% for earnings
- Value grade B+ · Top 24%
- 96% graduate
- 11Tie
Smith College
Northampton, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 89% graduate
- 13
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Value grade C+
- 87% graduate
- 14
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B-
- 84% graduate
- 15
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 86% graduate
- 16
Bentley University
Waltham, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Value grade C+
- 87% graduate
- 17
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B+ · Top 28%
- 83% graduate
- 18
Clark University
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B-
- 77% graduate
- 19
Longy School of Music of Bard College
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade C+
- 78% graduate
- 20
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitTop 2% for earnings
- Value grade C+
- 90% graduate
- 21
Laboure College of Healthcare
Milton, MA · Private nonprofitTop 1% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 100% graduate
- 22
- 23
Simmons University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Value grade B
- 72% graduate
- 24Tie
The New England Conservatory of Music
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 73% graduate
- 24Tie
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Norton, MA · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- Value grade B-
- 73% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $20,111 | $14,768 | $143,372 | 96% |
| Williams College | $17,716 | $12,761 | $88,665 | 94% |
| Harvard University | $19,066 | $14,000 | $101,817 | 98% |
| Wellesley College | $25,496 | $10,000 | $84,803 | 92% |
| Amherst College | $23,367 | $13,740 | $77,644 | 94% |
| Tufts University | $39,998 | $16,250 | $83,214 | 94% |
| Boston University | $24,402 | $23,250 | $83,238 | 89% |
| Boston College | $41,704 | $19,000 | $103,937 | 91% |
| Northeastern University | $30,915 | $24,250 | $92,538 | 91% |
| Babson College | $40,514 | $20,000 | $123,938 | 93% |
| Franklin W Olin College of Engineering | $25,171 | $19,500 | $129,455 | 96% |
| Smith College | $27,579 | $17,550 | $64,027 | 89% |
| College of the Holy Cross | $38,782 | $27,000 | $90,543 | 87% |
| Mount Holyoke College | $26,441 | $22,902 | $58,418 | 84% |
| Brandeis University | $35,736 | $25,648 | $77,231 | 86% |
| Bentley University | $37,930 | $25,023 | $120,959 | 87% |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $22,383 | $22,763 | $71,631 | 83% |
| Clark University | $28,714 | $26,759 | $62,381 | 77% |
| Longy School of Music of Bard College | $38,530 | $24,254 | $46,543 | 78% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | $43,071 | $27,000 | $103,470 | 90% |
| Laboure College of Healthcare | $36,863 | $25,250 | $62,200 | 100% |
| Emerson College | $49,180 | $23,000 | $62,832 | 77% |
| Simmons University | $25,265 | $24,840 | $63,494 | 72% |
| The New England Conservatory of Music | $46,754 | $27,000 | $34,483 | 73% |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | $29,822 | $26,000 | $67,725 | 73% |
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 26
- Alaska 5
- Arizona 16
- Arkansas 23
- California 128
- Colorado 26
- Connecticut 26
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 9
- Florida 61
- Georgia 60
- Hawaii 6
- Idaho 9
- Illinois 57
- Indiana 45
- Iowa 30
- Kansas 27
- Kentucky 29
- Louisiana 24
- Maine 19
- Maryland 26
- Michigan 44
- Minnesota 40
- Mississippi 16
- Missouri 53
- Montana 10
- Nebraska 19
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 13
- New Jersey 36
- New Mexico 11
- New York 135
- North Carolina 55
- North Dakota 9
- Ohio 99
- Oklahoma 23
- Oregon 21
- Pennsylvania 118
- Puerto Rico 52
- Rhode Island 11
- South Carolina 35
- South Dakota 11
- Tennessee 43
- Texas 85
- Utah 16
- Vermont 9
- Virginia 51
- Washington 24
- West Virginia 19
- Wisconsin 36
- Wyoming 3