State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Massachusetts

Massachusetts's median net price sits 43% above the national Scorecard median; even so, Middlesex Community College is the lowest reporter here at $2,624 among 117 schools.

$2,624
Cheapest net price
$24,402
Massachusetts median
117
Schools ranked

Middlesex Community College has the lowest average net price in Massachusetts among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Middlesex Community College posts the lowest average net price in Massachusetts at $2,624 among 117 ranked schools, with the state median 43% above the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price
$2,624
Massachusetts median
$24,402
Schools ranked
117
National median
$17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Middlesex Community College has the lowest average net price in Massachusetts at $2,624/year, and the state's median net price is 43% above the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$2,624
cheapest ranked net price
$24,402
Massachusetts median net price
38 public / 79 private
schools in this ranking
$17,527
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $17,527 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Williams College, where in-state published tuition of $68,560 falls to an average net price of $17,716 after aid, a $50,844 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Massachusetts schools.

Private campuses outnumber public ones here (79 vs 38). A low figure at a small religious or specialty school can reflect a narrow enrollment mix, check sector and enrollment beside the price.

The bar to make this top-25 list is $15,216. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 117 Scorecard-reporting Massachusetts schools:

The bar to make Massachusetts's top-25 cheapest list

Average net price after aid · 117 Scorecard-reporting schools

$15,216 Among the most affordable more affordable than 79% of 117 Massachusetts colleges

Show national distribution $0–$5,000: 1 Massachusetts colleges (1%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 16 Massachusetts colleges (14%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 7 Massachusetts colleges (6%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 19 Massachusetts colleges (16%). This entry sits in this band. $20,000–$25,000: 18 Massachusetts colleges (15%). Above this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 26 Massachusetts colleges (22%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 11 Massachusetts colleges (9%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 10 Massachusetts colleges (9%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 5 Massachusetts colleges (4%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 4 Massachusetts colleges (3%). Above this entry. #25 cutoff $0 $50,000 every ranked Massachusetts college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more Massachusetts colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

Massachusetts's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

1
Middlesex Community College Bedford, MA · Public
Avg net price
$2,624
Net price (<$30K income)
$943
Median debt
$7,291
Median earnings, 6yr
$40,318
Enrollment
9,374
2
Bristol Community College Fall River, MA · Public
Avg net price
$5,547
Net price (<$30K income)
$4,550
Median debt
$8,243
Median earnings, 6yr
$35,555
Enrollment
6,950
4
Northern Essex Community College Haverhill, MA · Public
Avg net price
$6,046
Net price (<$30K income)
$5,256
Median debt
$9,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$36,235
Enrollment
4,721
5
Urban College of Boston Boston, MA · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$6,957
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,957
Median debt
-
Median earnings, 6yr
$33,241
Enrollment
868
6
Southeastern Technical Institute South Easton, MA · Public
Avg net price
$7,060
Net price (<$30K income)
$8,009
Median debt
$8,846
Median earnings, 6yr
-
Enrollment
260
7
Massachusetts Bay Community College Wellesley Hills, MA · Public
Avg net price
$7,169
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,206
Median debt
$6,500
Median earnings, 6yr
$37,504
Enrollment
4,578
8
Greenfield Community College Greenfield, MA · Public
Avg net price
$7,679
Net price (<$30K income)
$7,311
Median debt
$8,307
Median earnings, 6yr
$27,778
Enrollment
1,689
9
Bunker Hill Community College Boston, MA · Public
Avg net price
$7,818
Net price (<$30K income)
$7,120
Median debt
$10,500
Median earnings, 6yr
$39,847
Enrollment
9,876
10
Mount Wachusett Community College Gardner, MA · Public
Avg net price
$7,931
Net price (<$30K income)
$5,899
Median debt
$10,252
Median earnings, 6yr
$37,314
Enrollment
3,694
11
Holyoke Community College Holyoke, MA · Public
Avg net price
$8,068
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,522
Median debt
$8,250
Median earnings, 6yr
$32,437
Enrollment
4,200
12
Cape Cod Community College West Barnstable, MA · Public
Avg net price
$8,296
Net price (<$30K income)
$8,253
Median debt
$12,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$39,296
Enrollment
3,260
14
Massasoit Community College Brockton, MA · Public
Avg net price
$8,460
Net price (<$30K income)
$7,194
Median debt
$10,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$38,606
Enrollment
5,574
15
North Shore Community College Danvers, MA · Public
Avg net price
$9,000
Net price (<$30K income)
$8,622
Median debt
$9,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$40,373
Enrollment
5,743
16
Quinsigamond Community College Worcester, MA · Public
Avg net price
$9,090
Net price (<$30K income)
$8,148
Median debt
$16,575
Median earnings, 6yr
$38,351
Enrollment
7,811
17
Berkshire Community College Pittsfield, MA · Public
Avg net price
$9,921
Net price (<$30K income)
$7,797
Median debt
$12,053
Median earnings, 6yr
$36,584
Enrollment
1,694
19
Roxbury Community College Roxbury Crossing, MA · Public
Avg net price
$12,244
Net price (<$30K income)
$12,222
Median debt
-
Median earnings, 6yr
$40,823
Enrollment
2,044
20
Worcester State University Worcester, MA · Public
Avg net price
$13,381
Net price (<$30K income)
$8,793
Median debt
$19,500
Median earnings, 6yr
$50,233
Enrollment
5,745
21
Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA · Public
Avg net price
$14,262
Net price (<$30K income)
$10,204
Median debt
$24,239
Median earnings, 6yr
$41,999
Enrollment
5,892
22
Bay Path University Longmeadow, MA · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$14,271
Net price (<$30K income)
$11,948
Median debt
$24,901
Median earnings, 6yr
$51,548
Enrollment
2,605
23
Lowell Academy Hairstyling Institute Lowell, MA · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$14,839
Net price (<$30K income)
$14,839
Median debt
$7,994
Median earnings, 6yr
$44,170
Enrollment
66
24
Charles H McCann Technical School North Adams, MA · Public
Avg net price
$14,998
Net price (<$30K income)
$14,998
Median debt
-
Median earnings, 6yr
-
Enrollment
41
25
Massachusetts School of Barbering Quincy, MA · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$15,216
Net price (<$30K income)
$15,216
Median debt
$8,294
Median earnings, 6yr
-
Enrollment
44
# College Avg net priceNet price (<$30K income)Median debtMedian earnings, 6yrEnrollment
1 Middlesex Community College Bedford, MA · Public $2,624 95% of the leader · rank #1 $943 $7,291 $40,318 9,374
2 Bristol Community College Fall River, MA · Public $5,547 89% of the leader · rank #2 $4,550 $8,243 $35,555 6,950
3 Springfield Technical Community College Springfield, MA · Public $5,662 89% of the leader · rank #3 $4,250 $6,570 $35,824 5,447
4 Northern Essex Community College Haverhill, MA · Public $6,046 88% of the leader · rank #4 $5,256 $9,000 $36,235 4,721
5 Urban College of Boston Boston, MA · Private nonprofit $6,957 86% of the leader · rank #5 $6,957 - $33,241 868
6 Southeastern Technical Institute South Easton, MA · Public $7,060 86% of the leader · rank #6 $8,009 $8,846 - 260
7 Massachusetts Bay Community College Wellesley Hills, MA · Public $7,169 86% of the leader · rank #7 $6,206 $6,500 $37,504 4,578
8 Greenfield Community College Greenfield, MA · Public $7,679 84% of the leader · rank #8 $7,311 $8,307 $27,778 1,689
9 Bunker Hill Community College Boston, MA · Public $7,818 84% of the leader · rank #9 $7,120 $10,500 $39,847 9,876
10 Mount Wachusett Community College Gardner, MA · Public $7,931 84% of the leader · rank #10 $5,899 $10,252 $37,314 3,694
11 Holyoke Community College Holyoke, MA · Public $8,068 84% of the leader · rank #11 $6,522 $8,250 $32,437 4,200
12 Cape Cod Community College West Barnstable, MA · Public $8,296 83% of the leader · rank #12 $8,253 $12,000 $39,296 3,260
13 Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School Bourne, MA · Public $8,373 83% of the leader · rank #13 $9,425 $9,500 - 70
14 Massasoit Community College Brockton, MA · Public $8,460 83% of the leader · rank #14 $7,194 $10,000 $38,606 5,574
15 North Shore Community College Danvers, MA · Public $9,000 82% of the leader · rank #15 $8,622 $9,000 $40,373 5,743
16 Quinsigamond Community College Worcester, MA · Public $9,090 82% of the leader · rank #16 $8,148 $16,575 $38,351 7,811
17 Berkshire Community College Pittsfield, MA · Public $9,921 80% of the leader · rank #17 $7,797 $12,053 $36,584 1,694
18 Tri County Regional Vocational Technical High School Franklin, MA · Public $11,682 76% of the leader · rank #18 $11,682 - - 72
19 Roxbury Community College Roxbury Crossing, MA · Public $12,244 75% of the leader · rank #19 $12,222 - $40,823 2,044
20 Worcester State University Worcester, MA · Public $13,381 73% of the leader · rank #20 $8,793 $19,500 $50,233 5,745
21 Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA · Public $14,262 71% of the leader · rank #21 $10,204 $24,239 $41,999 5,892
22 Bay Path University Longmeadow, MA · Private nonprofit $14,271 71% of the leader · rank #22 $11,948 $24,901 $51,548 2,605
23 Lowell Academy Hairstyling Institute Lowell, MA · Private for-profit $14,839 70% of the leader · rank #23 $14,839 $7,994 $44,170 66
24 Charles H McCann Technical School North Adams, MA · Public $14,998 70% of the leader · rank #24 $14,998 - - 41
25 Massachusetts School of Barbering Quincy, MA · Private for-profit $15,216 69% of the leader · rank #25 $15,216 $8,294 - 44

Showing the 25 cheapest of 117 Scorecard-reporting Massachusetts schools. The remaining 92 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.

Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.

Related

All 51 states → | Massachusetts campus safety → | Find your school's rank → | Methodology →

What this means for you

Use Massachusetts's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Massachusetts. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.