Tuition Trends for Massachusetts colleges Over Past 10 Years

There are 153 colleges in Massachusetts - 43 public and 110 private schools. The 2024 average tuition & fees of the 4-year colleges in Massachusetts is $12,775 for Massachusetts residents and $24,604 for out-of-state students. In private colleges, the average tuition & fees is $45,418. For Massachusetts community colleges, the average tuition & fees is $5,703 for state residents and $10,962 for out-of-state students.

Massachusetts public 4-year colleges' in-state tuition & fees increased by 25.00% from $10,554 (2015) to $13,192 (2024) and out-of-state tuition & fees grew by 14.70% over the past decade from $21,450 (2015) to $24,604 (2024). In private Massachusetts colleges, the tuition & fees increased by 44.12%, from $34,059 (2015) to $49,087 (2024).

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Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased by 20.14% when living on campus and by 20.77% when living off campus at public Massachusetts colleges. For private Massachusetts colleges, the COA has increased by 38.86% (on-campus) and 40.04% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes of Massachusetts colleges
Year	Living On Campus			Living Off Campus
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$26,359	$37,255	$49,864	$24,511	$35,407	$48,016
2015-16	$27,172 3.08%	$38,337 2.90%	$51,035 2.35%	$25,214 2.87%	$36,379 2.75%	$49,077 2.21%
2016-17	$28,053 3.24%	$39,570 3.22%	$53,138 4.12%	$25,874 2.62%	$37,391 2.78%	$50,959 3.83%
2017-18	$29,105 3.75%	$40,950 3.49%	$55,133 3.75%	$26,706 3.22%	$38,551 3.10%	$52,734 3.48%
2018-19	$29,699 2.04%	$41,784 2.04%	$57,299 3.93%	$27,211 1.89%	$39,296 1.93%	$54,811 3.94%
2019-20	$30,403 2.37%	$42,716 2.23%	$58,952 2.88%	$28,248 3.81%	$40,561 3.22%	$56,797 3.62%
2020-21	$30,891 1.61%	$43,281 1.32%	$59,935 1.67%	$28,603 1.26%	$40,993 1.07%	$57,647 1.50%
2021-22	$31,354 1.50%	$43,742 1.07%	$61,364 2.38%	$29,074 1.65%	$41,462 1.14%	$59,084 2.49%
2022-23	$32,309 3.05%	$44,875 2.59%	$66,069 7.67%	$29,999 3.18%	$42,565 2.66%	$63,759 7.91%
2023-24	$33,347 3.21%	$44,759 -0.26%	$69,242 4.80%	$31,349 4.50%	$42,761 0.46%	$67,244 5.47%

Tuition & Fees Changes

For the current year (2024), the average tuition & fees for Massachusetts colleges is $13,192 for Massachusetts residents and $24,604 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $52,444.

For graduate programs, the 2024 average graduate tuition & fees is $19,532 for Massachusetts residents and $24,919 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $33,594.

The tuition & fees has increased 14.70% for undergraduate programs and 22.67% for graduate programs at Massachusetts colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.

Tuition & Fees Changes for Massachusetts colleges
Year	Undergraduate			Graduate
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$10,554	$21,450	$34,059	$11,303	$16,535	$25,972
2015-16	$11,098 5.15%	$22,263 3.79%	$34,961 2.65%	$11,729 3.77%	$17,119 3.53%	$26,235 1.01%
2016-17	$11,458 3.24%	$22,975 3.20%	$36,543 4.53%	$12,560 7.09%	$18,042 5.39%	$27,194 3.66%
2017-18	$11,877 3.66%	$23,722 3.25%	$37,905 3.73%	$12,720 1.27%	$18,378 1.86%	$27,970 2.85%
2018-19	$12,010 1.12%	$24,095 1.57%	$39,610 4.50%	$13,153 3.40%	$18,525 0.80%	$28,945 3.49%
2019-20	$12,330 2.66%	$24,643 2.27%	$40,879 3.20%	$13,810 5.00%	$19,257 3.95%	$30,090 3.96%
2020-21	$12,547 1.76%	$24,937 1.19%	$41,591 1.74%	$14,062 1.82%	$19,596 1.76%	$30,821 2.43%
2021-22	$12,571 0.19%	$24,959 0.09%	$42,581 2.38%	$14,321 1.84%	$19,900 1.55%	$31,271 1.46%
2022-23	$12,887 2.51%	$25,453 1.98%	$46,647 9.55%	$16,687 16.52%	$20,089 0.95%	$33,215 6.22%
2023-24	$13,192 2.37%	$24,604 -3.34%	$49,087 5.23%	$16,815 0.77%	$20,283 0.97%	$32,773 -1.33%

Massachusetts 4-Year Colleges Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Massachusetts Graduate Schools Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Books & Supplies Costs Changes

For the current year (2024), the average book & supplies costs is $1,144 for Massachusetts colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2015 to 2024.

Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Massachusetts colleges
Year	Books & Supplies
2014-15	$1,067
2015-16	$1,070 0.28%
2016-17	$1,056 -1.31%
2017-18	$1,069 1.23%
2018-19	$1,079 0.94%
2019-20	$1,091 1.11%
2020-21	$1,117 2.38%
2021-22	$1,109 -0.72%
2022-23	$1,130 1.89%
2023-24	$1,144 1.24%

Living Costs Changes

For Massachusetts colleges, the living have increased 27.42% when a student lives on campus facilities and 31.96% when living off campus from year 2015 to 2024. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.

Living Costs Changes for Massachusetts colleges
Year	Living On Campus	Living Off Campus
2014-15	$14,738	$15,182
2015-16	$15,004 2.31%	$15,368 2.54%
2016-17	$15,539 4.22%	$15,829 3.76%
2017-18	$16,159 4.21%	$16,459 3.05%
2018-19	$16,610 2.49%	$16,826 3.04%
2019-20	$16,982 2.11%	$17,213 5.34%
2020-21	$17,227 1.94%	$17,471 1.13%
2021-22	$17,674 2.88%	$17,891 3.76%
2022-23	$18,292 3.57%	$18,513 4.00%
2023-24	$19,011 4.92%	$19,276 7.86%

Most Searched Massachusetts Colleges (last 30 days)

Undergraduate

Harvard University Private, four-years | Cambridge
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Public, four-years | Amherst
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Private, four-years | Cambridge
Northeastern University Private, four-years | Boston
Boston University Private, four-years | Boston
Lesley University Private, four-years | Cambridge
Boston College Private, four-years | Chestnut Hill
Amherst College Private, four-years | Amherst
Tufts University Private, four-years | Medford
Endicott College Private, four-years | Beverly

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Graduate

Boston University Private, four-years | Boston
Tufts University Private, four-years | Medford
Northeastern University Private, four-years | Boston
Assumption University Private, four-years | Worcester
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Private, four-years | Cambridge
Harvard University Private, four-years | Cambridge
Lesley University Private, four-years | Cambridge
Williams College Private, four-years | Williamstown
Brandeis University Private, four-years | Waltham
Worcester State University Public, four-years | Worcester

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Online Schools

Harvard University Private, four-years | Cambridge
Northeastern University Private, four-years | Boston
Emerson College Private, four-years | Boston
Simmons University Private, four-years | Boston
Wentworth Institute of Technology Private, four-years | Boston
Fisher College Private, four-years | Boston
Springfield College-Regional, Online, and Continuing Education Private, four-years | Springfield
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Public, four-years | Amherst
Boston Architectural College Private, four-years | Boston
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Private, four-years | Cambridge

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Technical Colleges

Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Worcester Private, Less than 2-years | Worcester
Spa Tech Institute-Westboro Private, Less than 2-years | Westborough
Harvard University Private, four-years | Cambridge
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Public, four-years | Amherst
Rob Roy Academy-Fall River Private, Less than 2-years | Fall River
National Aviation Academy of New England Private, 2-4 years | Concord
Empire Beauty School-Boston Private, Less than 2-years | Boston
Spa Tech Institute-Plymouth Private, Less than 2-years | Plymouth
Rob Roy Academy-New Bedford Private, Less than 2-years | New Bedford
Southeastern Technical Institute Public, Less than 2-years | South Easton

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