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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics in Massachusetts (With Aid)

30 Ranked Colleges
2,644 Degrees Awarded
$23,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Economics is the 18th most popular major in the country with 48,831 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

Across Massachusetts, there were 3,354 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,242 and $22,416 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,644 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 30 colleges that offer a degree in economics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality economics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the economics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics in Massachusetts (With Aid)

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Harvard University is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 215 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid list, Harvard has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard University is $15,386 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Economics at Harvard

#2

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #2 spot on the list. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 108 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid list, Williams has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Williams is $19,480 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Economics at Williams

#3

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Amherst College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. Amherst is a small school located in Amherst, Massachusetts that handed out 74 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Amherst also took the #3 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $18,524 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid per year to attend Amherst College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Amherst College

#4

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wellesley College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Wellesley, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 82 students in 2019-2020.

Wellesley also took the #6 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley College is $22,087 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Economics at Wellesley

#5

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts
#24 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fitchburg State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. Fitchburg State is a medium-sized school located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts that handed out 5 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Fitchburg State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $16,001 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid per year to attend Fitchburg State University.

Read more about Economics at Fitchburg State University

#6

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this large public school handed out 310 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts Amherst is $22,501 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at UMass Amherst

#7

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Worcester State is a public institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,492 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid per year to attend Worcester State.

Full Worcester State University Economics Report

#8

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Westfield is a public institution located in Westfield, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for Westfield is $19,167 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Westfield

University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. University of Massachusetts - Boston is a public institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 131 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UMass Boston is $18,340 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid.

Read more about Economics at University of Massachusetts - Boston

#10

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. This fairly large school is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and it awarded 316 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid list, Boston College has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $35,899 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid per year to attend Boston College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Boston College

#11

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #11, Bridgewater State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Bridgewater State University is a public institution located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bridgewater State University is $18,457 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid.

Full Bridgewater State University Economics Report

#12

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Lowell ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. UMass Lowell is located in Lowell, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 37 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Lowell, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMass Lowell is $19,119 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#13

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Framingham, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Framingham State is $20,001 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

Read full report on Economics at Framingham State University

#14

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Tufts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 172 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts also took the #4 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $30,744 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Tufts University Economics Report

#15

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Salem State University is located in Salem, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $18,399 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid per year to attend Salem State University.

Full Salem State Economics Report

#16

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is a public institution located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Dartmouth, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth is $18,503 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid.

Full UMass Dartmouth Economics Report

#17

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 300 students in 2019-2020.

Boston U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $30,259 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid per year to attend Boston University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Economics at Boston U

#18

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Worcester, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 112 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid list, Holy Cross has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend College of the Holy Cross is $37,292 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Holy Cross Economics Report

#19

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 46 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Smith did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $28,305 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid per year to attend Smith.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Smith College Economics Report

#20

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wheaton College Massachusetts is located in Norton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Wheaton College Massachusetts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts is $26,809 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Economics at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#21

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke also took the #11 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $27,149 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid per year to attend Mount Holyoke College.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Mt. Holyoke

#22

Assumption University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Assumption University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Assumption is a private not-for-profit institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Assumption also took the #17 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Assumption is $28,466 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Assumption University Economics Report

#23

Simmons University

Boston, Massachusetts

Simmons University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Simmons University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Simmons not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $30,008 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Economics students with aid per year to attend Simmons University.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Simmons Economics Report

#24

Emmanuel College Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts
#16 in overall quality

Emmanuel College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #24. Emmanuel Boston is a small school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 17 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Emmanuel Boston not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Emmanuel College Massachusetts is $28,314 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Emmanuel Boston Economics Report

#25

Gordon College

Wenham, Massachusetts

Gordon College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Gordon College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wenham, Massachusetts. It awarded 13 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Gordon College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $25,777 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree economics students with aid per year to attend Gordon College.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Gordon College Economics Report

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

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