Tufts University
#5 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts- Graduation Rate
- 93% A+
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $83,214 A
- Top 3% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $39,998 F
- 133% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 11% A+
- Rejects about 89 of every 100 applicants
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 13.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $13.3 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts.
Every $1 spent returns $13.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,968,868.
What The Data Says
-
A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 104% more than the national college median.
-
A 93% graduation rate — 63% above the national average.
-
Inventor rate in the top 16% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
-
A top feeder school for 1 major employer.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 1.6%
- Top 16%
- Patents
- 89
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #53
- Times Higher Education
- Employer Pipelines
- 1
- Top feeder programs
- Patent Citations
- 224
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 52/100
- Times Higher Education
Why Tufts University Matters
Tufts University is a private research university in Medford, MA ranked #53 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 3% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 7,061
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Tufts University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Highly selective — admits about 11% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1470–1560. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $39,998 a year after grants and scholarships — 133% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $83,214 ten years after enrolling — 104% above the typical college, against $16,250 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.1% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 25% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.89 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of just 11%, Tufts University attracts students who are ready to engage in a vibrant academic community. This school is ideal for those passionate about social sciences, engineering, biology and biomedical fields, computer science and IT, or the visual and performing arts. What stands out is the commitment to a well-rounded education that encourages exploration and interdisciplinary study, making it a great fit for curious minds eager to make an impact.
After graduation, students can expect a solid earning potential, with a 10-year median salary of $83,214. This figure highlights the strong return on investment for graduates. With a graduation rate of 93%, it's clear that students not only thrive academically but also transition successfully into their careers. While the Pell Grant rate is at 12%, indicating that a smaller percentage of students come from low-income backgrounds, those who do tend to find pathways to upward mobility in their professional lives.
Looking at the practical side, the net price of attending Tufts is around $39,998 after aid, which is significant but manageable for many. Graduates carry a median debt of $16,250, a figure that suggests a thoughtful balance between investment in education and financial responsibility. Students who tend to thrive here are those who are driven, engaged, and ready to take advantage of the diverse opportunities available on campus and beyond.
Rankings
- #5 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts
- #7 Best Computer Science Colleges in Massachusetts
- #7 Best Engineering Colleges in Massachusetts
- #7 Best Psychology Colleges in Massachusetts
- #7 Best Data Science Colleges in Massachusetts
- #9 Best Biology Colleges in Massachusetts
- #10 Best Colleges in Massachusetts
- #10 Best Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts
Can I Get In?
How selective Tufts University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Tufts University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Medford, Massachusetts, Tufts University sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,513. The graduation rate is roughly 93%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Retention Rate
- 96%
- SAT Average
- 1513
- ACT Midpoint
- 34
- SAT Range
- 1470–1560
- ACT Range
- 33–35
- Full-Time Faculty
- 64%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $14,205
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 10:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.77
- First-Gen Students
- 15%
- Applicants
- 34,882
- Admitted
- 3,381
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Tufts University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Tufts University is $70,704, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $39,998. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,284 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $16,250 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $70,704
- Out-of-State
- $70,704
- Avg Net Price
- $39,998
- Median Debt
- $16,250
- Pell Grant Rate
- 12%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 19%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $11,284
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $9,811
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $14,923
- Family Income $110K+
- $58,570
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Tufts University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Tufts University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Tufts University earn a median of $83,214, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $68,337
- 8 Years
- $70,761
- 10 Years
- $83,214
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.2x
- Earning > $25K
- 83%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,196)
- 89%
- 100% (1,196)
- 89%
- 100% (1,196)
- 89%
- 100% (1,196)
- 89%
Where Grads Go
Tufts University is a top feeder for:
Rank among programs feeding each employer.
Top employers of Tufts University’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.
- Tufts Medical Center ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Lahey Hospital & Medical Center ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Maine Medical Center ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Newton-Wellesley Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- South Shore Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Cambridge Health Alliance ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Faulkner Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Good Samaritan Medical Center ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Greater Lawrence Family Health Center ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Lawrence General Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Lemuel Shattuck Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Lowell General Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Lynn Community Health Center ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- MelroseWakefield Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- MetroWest Medical Center ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- New England Baptist Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Portsmouth Regional Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Tewksbury Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- VA Boston Healthcare System ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
- Winchester Hospital ✓ VerifiedHealthcare & hospitals
How Tufts Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Tufts University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Tufts University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $39,998/year ($159,992 total). Graduates earn $83,214 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,128,860 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,968,868 (13.3× your investment). The median debt is $16,250, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 93% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $159,992
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,128,860
- Net Return
- $1,968,868
- ROI Multiple
- 13.3×
- Cost Per Year
- $39,998
- Median Debt
- $16,250
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 93%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Tufts University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Tufts University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.13%, among the highest in the country. Access is narrower: only about 3.4% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 62.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $187,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.13%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 62.2%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 3.4%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $255,290
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Research & Teaching
Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
How Research-Intensive Is Tufts University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Tufts University at #53 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 52/100, teaching at 64/100, and citation impact of 84/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
- World Rank
- #53
- Teaching
- 64.1
- Research
- 52.3
- Citations
- 83.9
- International
- 28.3
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Tufts University produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 16% nationally), with 89 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 52/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 1.55%
- Top 16% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 89
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 224
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 52/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 84/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 1.18%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-278,118,524
Top Programs
The fields Tufts University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Social Sciences 20% $85,286 early-career
- Engineering 13% $100,584 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 12% $116,394 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 11% $43,598 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 9% $27,968 early-career
- Psychology 6% $52,040 early-career
- Physical Sciences 2%
- Health Professions 2% $127,330 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Tufts University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Tufts University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Medford, Massachusetts, Tufts University sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,513. The graduation rate is roughly 93%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Tufts University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Tufts University is $70,704, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $39,998. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,284 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $16,250 in federal student loans.
Is Tufts University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Tufts University earn a median of $83,214, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Tufts University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Tufts University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.13%, among the highest in the country. Access is narrower: only about 3.4% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 62.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $187,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Tufts University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Tufts University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.89, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 12% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is Tufts University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Tufts University at #53 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 52/100, teaching at 64/100, and citation impact of 84/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
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Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Tufts University.
- Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC · Close peer95% grad $103,494 earn 13% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA · Close peer91% grad $80,137 earn 11% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · Close peer96% grad $89,363 earn 8% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO · Close peer94% grad $86,182 earn 12% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA · Close peer88% grad $63,268 earn 14% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · Close peer94% grad $87,555 earn 6% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Tufts University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Tufts University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.89, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 12% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note