How Colleges Are Governed in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has one of the densest concentrations of colleges in the country. Our directory reflects that, with listings that run from large universities in Boston and Cambridge to small beauty academies, nursing schools and seminaries in towns such as Malden, Fitchburg and Bourne. Knowing who oversees a school tells you which protections apply and where to turn if something goes wrong.

Public higher education is coordinated by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, which reports to the Board of Higher Education. Its system includes 15 community colleges and nine state universities, among them Bridgewater State, Salem State, Westfield State and Worcester State. The University of Massachusetts has campuses in Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell, plus a medical school in Worcester. It answers to its own board of trustees.

Private colleges follow a different path. A school needs degree-granting authority from the Board of Higher Education before it can award degrees in the state. Most also hold accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education, the regional accreditor for the six New England states. Accreditation matters in practice because it affects credit transfer, federal financial aid and how employers view your diploma.

Career schools sit under separate rules. Cosmetology and barbering schools fall under the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering, part of the Division of Professional Licensure. Nursing programs need approval from the Board of Registration in Nursing, which is part of the Department of Public Health. Graduates in these fields must pass a state licensing exam, so a school's approval status decides whether you can legally work after you finish.

What the Massachusetts College Listings Cover

The listings are not limited to four-year campuses. A search by city can return very different schools on the same street, so it helps to know the main groups:

Treat each listing as a starting point. Colleges merge, rename and close often. Becker College in Worcester announced its closure in 2021, and Andover Newton Theological School moved to New Haven and affiliated with Yale Divinity School in 2017. Call the phone number on the listing before you visit. If a school has closed, the Department of Higher Education can usually tell you where student records are held.

Greater Boston, Central Massachusetts, the Valley and the Coast

Greater Boston is the center of gravity. Suffolk County and Middlesex County together hold more than half of the state's entries. Campuses cluster around the Longwood Medical Area, Fenway and Cambridge, where Cambridge College lists an address at 1000 Massachusetts Avenue. The MBTA subway, buses and commuter rail make a car optional for most of these schools. Parking near urban campuses is scarce and costly, so ask about permits before you commit.

Central Massachusetts revolves around Worcester, the state's second-largest city. Worcester has a cluster of independent colleges, including Clark University, the College of the Holy Cross and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, which cooperate through a regional consortium. Farther north, Alexander Academy sits at 112 River Street in Fitchburg, home to Fitchburg State University. Browse Worcester County to see how listings spread beyond the city.

The Pioneer Valley works differently. Amherst belongs to the Five College Consortium, which links Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College and UMass Amherst, so students can cross-register for classes. Springfield, in Hampden County, adds Springfield College, American International College and Springfield Technical Community College, along with career schools like Mansfield Beauty Schools on Bridge Street.

In the southeast, Fall River, New Bedford and Brockton are working cities where community colleges and trade schools do much of the teaching. The Berkshires and Cape Cod have fewer listings, but each has a community college and a few specialized schools. Mildred Elley has a campus at 100 West Street in Pittsfield, and Empire Beauty School serves the Cape from Barnstable Road.

Tuition, Aid and Residency Rules for Massachusetts Students

Cost varies more by sector than by region. Community colleges charge the least, state universities sit in the middle, and private colleges charge the most before aid. Compare the net price after grants, not the sticker price. Schools that accept federal aid use the FAFSA, and Massachusetts uses the same form to award state grants such as MassGrant.

Two state programs reduce community college costs. MassReconnect offers free community college to residents age 25 and older who do not hold a college degree. MassEducate, which began in fall 2024, extends free community college to other eligible residents. Both have residency and application requirements that can change, so confirm current details with the college's financial aid office.

Public campuses charge lower in-state rates to people who can show Massachusetts domicile, usually with documents such as a driver's license, lease and tax return. Rules vary by campus, and enrolling here does not by itself make you a resident. Students from Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont may qualify for reduced rates on certain programs through the New England Regional Student Program, often called Tuition Break.

State law also requires colleges to collect immunization records, including meningococcal vaccination for students in campus housing. Send your forms before orientation, because a missing record can place a hold on registration.

Verifying a Massachusetts School Before You Enrol

Spend an hour on checks before you pay a deposit. Confirm the school's accreditation with the New England Commission of Higher Education or another accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Ask whether the Board of Higher Education has authorized its degrees. For a licensed trade or nursing program, ask which board approves it and how many graduates pass the licensing exam. Request job placement figures, the full program cost and the refund policy in writing.

Visit in person, and ask to sit in on a class or lab. If a dispute arises, start with the school's complaint process. For degree-granting colleges, the Department of Higher Education accepts complaints, and the Attorney General's office handles consumer problems. Keep copies of every enrollment document, email and payment receipt.

Public colleges and universities in Massachusetts offer residents access to affordable higher education, professional certifications, and workforce training. The Massachusetts state legislature oversees funding and policy for public institutions, while individual governing boards manage each campus.

Colleges locations are available in 88 cities across Massachusetts. They are spread across 12 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Boston, Worcester, Springfield, reflecting the presence of major university campuses and community college districts serving large student populations.

Prospective students in Massachusetts should research in-state tuition rates, available degree programs, and financial aid options at public institutions, as these factors vary significantly between community colleges and four-year universities.

Colleges by Counties

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Students in Massachusetts applying to public colleges and universities should complete the FAFSA as early as possible to maximize eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Many Massachusetts institutions also offer state-specific grant programs with additional eligibility criteria.

Browse Colleges by county across Massachusetts to find the nearest location.

Planning a Massachusetts College Year by Season

The academic calendar shapes everything in Massachusetts. Fall classes at most colleges start in late August or early September, and spring terms begin in January. Community colleges are open-enrollment, so a student in Fall River or Bedford can often register only weeks before classes begin. Selective private colleges set deadlines months earlier. Many beauty and barbering schools start new classes on a rolling basis, which is worth asking about when you phone.

Housing is the hidden cost in Greater Boston. Many apartment leases turn over on September 1, which creates a crunch of moving trucks and high rents around Allston, Brighton and Cambridge. Start your search in spring. Commuter options exist in Bristol County, where Bristol Community College and UMass Dartmouth draw students from Fall River and New Bedford. In Hampshire County, Hampshire College and its neighbors share a regional bus network, which makes cross-registration practical without a car.

Winter weather matters too. Nor'easters can close campuses for a day or more between January and March. Sign up for your school's text alerts and check its website before you commute.

Questions About Colleges in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has 15 community colleges, nine state universities and the University of Massachusetts campuses, all described on the Department of Higher Education website. Community colleges such as Middlesex Community College in Bedford and Bristol Community College in Fall River offer open enrollment. State universities and UMass campuses set grade and course requirements. Compare schools by the program you want, the commute and the net price after grants. Visit during an open house, which most campuses hold in fall and spring, and ask the admissions office for graduation and transfer rates in writing.

Ask the school for its license number and the name of the board that issued it. Cosmetology and barbering schools, such as Rob Roy Academy in Fall River and New Bedford or the Massachusetts School of Barbering in Quincy, are regulated through the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering. The state licensing exam is the gateway to working in a salon or barbershop, so confirm that the program's training hours meet state requirements before you sign an enrollment agreement. Read the refund terms, and request job placement and exam pass rates in writing. If a problem arises, you can contact the board or the Attorney General's consumer office.

Becker College, listed at 61 Sever Street in Worcester, announced in 2021 that it would close, so it no longer enrolls students. The listing remains for reference. Former students who need transcripts should contact the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, which can usually say where records of closed degree-granting schools are kept. Andover Newton Theological School, listed on Herrick Road in Newton, also left Massachusetts in 2017 and is now affiliated with Yale Divinity School in Connecticut. Call the listed number first, since contact details for schools that have closed or moved may be out of date.

Yes. MassTransfer is the state program for moving from a community college to a public four-year campus. Students who complete an eligible associate degree and meet a grade-point threshold can qualify for guaranteed admission to state universities and UMass campuses, and some also receive tuition credits. Requirements differ by program and year, so meet a transfer advisor in your first semester and keep a written plan. Credits from private colleges and career schools are evaluated case by case, so ask the receiving school for a credit evaluation before you pay a deposit.

Each region has its own transit authority. In Greater Boston, the MBTA runs subway, bus and commuter rail, and the Red Line reaches Cambridge and Quincy. Worcester is served by the Worcester Regional Transit Authority, and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority covers Springfield and the Amherst area. Brockton Area Transit, the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority and the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority serve Brockton, the Fall River and New Bedford area, and Barnstable. Service thins out on evenings and weekends, so check timetables against your class schedule before you choose a school or program.

Yes, though there are fewer than in Greater Boston. On Cape Cod, Cape Cod Community College is in West Barnstable, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is in Buzzards Bay, and our listings include Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School on Sandwich Road in Bourne and Empire Beauty School on Barnstable Road. In the Berkshires, Berkshire Community College and Mildred Elley's Pittsfield campus at 100 West Street serve local students, and Williams College and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are in Williamstown and North Adams. Winter driving is harder in the hills, so ask about remote options for storm days.