The cost of college in Massachusetts — and what it pays back
Across the 85 Massachusetts institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $24,883/yr, $7,981 above the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $57,346 ten years after entry (above the $43,549 national median), and 59 of the 85 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Massachusetts's 85 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $20,111 | $143,372 | 0.8 yrs |
| Franklin W Olin College of Engineering | $25,171 | $129,455 | 1.2 yrs |
| Harvard University | $19,066 | $101,817 | 1.4 yrs |
| Williams College | $17,716 | $88,665 | 1.8 yrs |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | $39,545 | $125,557 | 2 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex Community College | $2,624 | $50,651 | 2.3 yrs |
| Bristol Community College | $5,547 | $38,663 | no payback |
| Springfield Technical Community College | $5,662 | $36,966 | no payback |
| Northern Essex Community College | $6,046 | $42,862 | no payback |
| Urban College of Boston | $6,957 | $35,472 | no payback |
How many Massachusetts colleges actually pay for themselves?
59 of 85 — 69% of the Massachusetts institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Massachusetts graduates out-earn the national median?
Massachusetts graduates report a median $57,346 ten years after entry, $13,798 above the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.