With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a college degree. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top New England Region Colleges for an Associate ranking - to help you make that decision.
We analyzed 79 colleges and universities across the New England Region to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
Early-Career Salaries Are Higher
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving a associate degree from the school. While associate degree recipients from schools in the New England Region earn an average starting salary of $38,618, those from the top 17 school on this list made an average of $42,264.
Starting Salary ( 31022 to 49194 )
Average Student Debt
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that students take on while pursuing their associate degree.
During their time at college, associate degree seekers from schools in the New England Region take out an average of $16,599.
The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Other Ranking Factors in Our Methodology
We also analyze a number of other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt when coming up with our yearly Best Associate Degree Schools ranking.
Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
If you'd rather work on your associate degree in a specific area of the country, you might be interested in our rankings by place. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Top Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region
Our analysis found Roger Williams University to be the best school for associate degrees in the New England Region in this year’s ranking. Located in Bristol, Rhode Island, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 42 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from RWU make an average of $36,189 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $21,599 after getting their degree.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern New Hampshire University. The school came in at #2 in the New England Region on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Southern New Hampshire University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Manchester, New Hampshire that handed out 3,227 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from SNHU go into careers with an average salary of $36,512 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $20,166 in student loans.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johnson & Wales University - Providence. The school came in at #3 in the New England Region on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 302 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from JWU Providence is $26,084 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $13,982. This translates to an average monthly payment of $314 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Out of the 79 associate degree schools in the New England Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Connecticut landed the #4 spot on the list. Storrs, Connecticut is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 33 students in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Elms College. The school came in at #5 in the New England Region on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Elms College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Chicopee, Massachusetts that handed out 3 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Sacred Heart University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. Located in Fairfield, Connecticut, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 93 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Sacred Heart make an average of $62,190 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $30,171 after getting their degree.
Bunker Hill Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,185 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from BHCC is $49,044 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $10,480 after getting their degree.
University of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. UMass Amherst is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 29 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $11,000.
Wentworth Institute of Technology ranked #9 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region list. WIT is located in Boston, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
New England Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #10. New England Tech is located in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 753 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a associate degree from New England Tech make an average of $40,109 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $17,780 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $274.
Rivier University did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #11. Rivier University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Nashua, New Hampshire that handed out 60 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Rivier go into careers with an average salary of $61,107 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $39,051 in student loans.
University of Massachusetts - Lowell landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. UMass Lowell is a public institution located in Lowell, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 41 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Associate students leave the school with an average of $24,018 in student loans.
University of New Haven landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. Located in West Haven, Connecticut, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 31 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Associate students leave the school with an average of $20,500 in student loans.
North Shore Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. North Shore Community College is a small public school situated in Danvers, Massachusetts. It awarded 719 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from North Shore Community College make an average of $42,858 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $13,065.
Community College of Rhode Island ranked #15 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region list. Located in Warwick, Rhode Island, the fairly large public school awarded 2,077 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from CCRI go into careers with an average salary of $42,003 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $13,277 after getting their degree.
With a ranking of #16, Post University did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region list. Post University is a private for-profit institution located in Waterbury, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 490 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Post University go into careers with an average salary of $32,657 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $35,225.
University of Bridgeport ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region list. UBridgeport is located in Bridgeport, Connecticut and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $28,429 after getting their degree.
Endicott College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region list. Located in Beverly, Massachusetts, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Associate students leave the school with an average of $5,181 in student loans.
Champlain College landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. Champlain is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Burlington, Vermont. It awarded 53 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $48,148 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $25,503 in student loans.
With a ranking of #20, Quinsigamond Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region list. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, the medium-sized public school handed out 912 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Quinsigamond Community College make an average of $36,449 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $18,584.
Springfield Technical Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. STCC is a public institution located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 780 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,407 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $8,601 after getting their degree.
Capital Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #22. Capital Community College is located in Hartford, Connecticut and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 312 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Capital Community College is $39,412 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $9,891.
Middlesex Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking. Bedford, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 882 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Middlesex Community College go into careers with an average salary of $42,511 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $10,335.
Gateway Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #24. Gateway Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in New Haven, Connecticut. It awarded 577 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Gateway Community College make an average of $39,822 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $11,510.
Vermont Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Randolph, Vermont, the small public school awarded 279 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Vermont Tech go into careers with an average salary of $43,993 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $16,832 after getting their degree.
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%.
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