With all of the college options in the New England Region, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **154** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual analyzed 154 colleges on more than 20 objective measures such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Customizing Your List
Your ideal college depends on your goals. Drill down by location and field of study, or explore other rankings below. Start by picking a degree level:
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology earned the #1 spot in this year's Best Colleges ranking in the New England Region. Based in Cambridge, MA, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology graduates 96% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $62,396. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology graduates report median early-career earnings of $113,129. Graduates carry a median of $13,516 in student loans.
The strong outcomes at Dartmouth College earned it the #2 place in the New England Region. Located in Hanover, NH, Dartmouth College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 96% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $68,019 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $81,992 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,989 to complete a degree here.
Boston College came in at #3 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in the New England Region. Boston College is a private not-for-profit school based in Chestnut Hill, MA. Roughly 91% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $70,702. Median early-career earnings reach $66,132. Typical student debt is $18,101.
A rank of #4 makes Yale University one of the top colleges in the New England Region. Based in New Haven, CT, Yale University is a private not-for-profit institution. Yale University posts a six-year graduation rate of 96%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,250. Yale University graduates report median early-career earnings of $74,578. Yale University students take on a median of $14,357 in debt.
Out of the 154 colleges in the New England Region in this year's ranking, Harvard University landed the #5 spot. This private not-for-profit school is set in Cambridge, MA. The six-year graduation rate is 98%. Students from in state pay about $61,676 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $95,207. Harvard University students take on a median of $16,616 in debt.
Brown University did well this year, earning the #6 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Providence, RI. About 96% of students finish within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $71,312. Median early-career earnings reach $62,820. The median student debt is $13,025.
Tufts University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Tufts University is a private not-for-profit school based in Medford, MA. Tufts University graduates 94% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $70,704 in tuition and fees. Tufts University graduates report median early-career earnings of $68,154. Typical student debt is $17,074.
Babson College did well this year, earning the #8 position. Located in Wellesley, MA, Babson College is a private not-for-profit institution. Babson College graduates 93% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $57,152. Median early-career earnings reach $106,540. Typical student debt is $23,000.
Boston University placed #9 among the best colleges in the New England Region. Located in Boston, MA, Boston University is a private not-for-profit institution. Boston University graduates 89% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $68,102. Median early-career earnings reach $63,598. The median student debt is $25,232.
Wesleyan University did well this year, earning the #10 position. Set in Middletown, CT, Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution. About 93% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $70,042 in tuition and fees. Median early-career earnings reach $39,764. Students borrow a median of $16,125 to complete a degree here.
Bowdoin College placed #11 among the best colleges in the New England Region. This private not-for-profit school is set in Brunswick, ME. Roughly 95% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,832. Early-career graduates earn a median of $58,938. The median student debt is $20,658.
Northeastern University landed the #12 spot in the New England Region this year. Based in Boston, MA, Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Northeastern University graduates 90% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,162. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $74,800. Typical student debt is $25,611.
Bentley University placed #13 among the best colleges in the New England Region. Set in Waltham, MA, Bentley University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 87% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $61,000. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $76,110. Typical student debt is $25,476.
Middlebury College placed #14 among the best colleges in the New England Region. This private not-for-profit school is set in Middlebury, VT. About 91% of students finish within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,600. Early-career graduates earn a median of $54,713. Students borrow a median of $15,948 to complete a degree here.
University Of Connecticut landed the #15 spot in the New England Region this year. Located in Storrs, CT, University Of Connecticut is a public institution. University Of Connecticut posts a six-year graduation rate of 83%. In-state tuition and fees run about $21,044, compared with $43,712 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $58,784. Students borrow a median of $23,637 to complete a degree here.
Amherst College placed #16 among the best colleges in the New England Region. Amherst College is a private not-for-profit school based in Amherst, MA. Amherst College graduates 94% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $70,480. Amherst College graduates report median early-career earnings of $59,271. Amherst College students take on a median of $15,398 in debt.
College Of The Holy Cross ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. College Of The Holy Cross is a private not-for-profit school based in Worcester, MA. College Of The Holy Cross graduates 87% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $64,500. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $51,478. Graduates carry a median of $26,387 in student loans.
Wellesley College did well this year, earning the #18 position. Set in Wellesley, MA, Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 92% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $67,176. Median early-career earnings reach $48,902. The median student debt is $11,075.
Fairfield University came in at #19 in this year's ranking. Set in Fairfield, CT, Fairfield University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 84% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,400. Early-career graduates earn a median of $66,305. The median student debt is $26,687.
Williams College did well this year, earning the #20 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Williamstown, MA. About 94% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,560. Williams College graduates report median early-career earnings of $53,652. The median student debt is $12,615.
Trinity College did well this year, earning the #21 position. Set in Hartford, CT, Trinity College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 84% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $70,770 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $52,927. The median student debt is $23,667.
Bates College placed #22 among the best colleges in the New England Region. Located in Lewiston, ME, Bates College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 90% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $66,590. Graduates go on to earn a median of $43,933 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $12,226 in student loans.
University Of Massachusetts Amherst did well this year, earning the #23 position. Set in Amherst, MA, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a public institution. About 83% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $17,772 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,449. University Of Massachusetts Amherst graduates report median early-career earnings of $53,543. Students borrow a median of $25,234 to complete a degree here.
Colby College did well this year, earning the #24 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Waterville, ME. The six-year graduation rate is 89%. Students from in state pay about $69,600 in tuition and fees. Colby College graduates report median early-career earnings of $46,772. Graduates carry a median of $22,016 in student loans.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute placed #25 among the best colleges in the New England Region. Located in Worcester, MA, Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 90% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $60,765. Graduates go on to earn a median of $91,834 early in their careers. Worcester Polytechnic Institute students take on a median of $26,259 in debt.
Rest of the Top 50 Best Colleges in the New England Region
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
With all of the college options in the New England Region, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **154** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
