Rankings / By State
Best Engineering Colleges in Massachusetts
- 16
- Schools
- $84,848
- Avg. Earnings
- 78%
- Avg. Graduation
- $26,239
- Avg. Net Price
- $21,176
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Graduate earnings span a wide band on this list, from $37,277 at the low end to $143,372 at the top. That 3.8× spread shows how much outcomes vary within a single category.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers the strongest payback. Graduates earn a median of $143,372 against $20,111 in annual net price, the best earnings-to-cost ratio in this ranking.
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The most budget-friendly option on this list is Holyoke Community College, at $8,068 annually in net price.
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Completion rates separate this field: Harvard University graduates 97% of its students, well above the 78% list average. Finishing what you start matters as much as where you start.
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Debt-to-earnings ratios favor Massachusetts Institute of Technology: graduates owe only 0.10× their yearly income, the most manageable debt burden on the list.
Surprising Comparisons
- Price and payoff diverge sharply here. Holyoke Community College ($8,068/yr) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($43,071/yr) produce graduates earning $37,277 and $103,470 respectively, a far narrower earnings gap than the $35,003 cost difference would suggest.
- Completion is where this ranking's schools diverge most: Harvard University graduates 97% of its students versus 31% at Holyoke Community College. Access without completion is opportunity unclaimed.
The Takeaway
The through line among the top-ranked schools is plain. They pair solid graduate earnings with affordable costs and meaningful social mobility. Prestige and selectivity matter far less than whether students end up better off.
What This Means for Students
Your shortlist should start with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. For each school, look up the net price your family would actually pay, weigh it against typical graduate earnings, and build the decision around the return instead of the name recognition.
Why this ranking matters
Engineering is one of the higher-return fields in the economy, but the payoff depends heavily on where you study it. Graduates of these programs earn a median of about $83K within a decade, and mechanical engineer roles are projected to grow 10%. We rank programs by the outcomes they produce for graduates, not by reputation.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-07-13
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology #1 overall | $143,372 ▲ +69% vs avg | $20,111 | 96% | 99 |
| 2 Harvard University #2 overall | $101,817 ▲ +20% vs avg | $19,066 | 97% | 84 |
| 3 Worcester Polytechnic Institute #3 overall | $103,470 ▲ +22% vs avg | $43,071 | 89% | 83 |
| $82,392 ▼ -3% vs avg | $21,582 | 77% | 83 | |
| $82,721 ▼ -3% vs avg | $34,170 | 68% | 82 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Best Engineering Colleges in Massachusetts
This analysis ranks 16 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $84,848 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 78% and an average net price of $26,239.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Net Price: $20,111 | Graduation Rate: 96%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: Harvard University — 97% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Median alumni earnings: $143,372
Data Insight
Private nonprofit colleges cost 110% more in net price than publics, while their graduates earn 21% more.
Engineering Talent Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about America’s engineering talent pipeline?
$82,557
Median earnings (10yr)
86%
Median graduation rate
$24,787
Median net price
2.1%
Avg. mobility rate
Engineering remains one of the most reliable investments in higher education. Earnings are high, unemployment is low, and the skills tie directly to the physical infrastructure of the economy. ABET accreditation and co-op placements are the structural markers that separate programs, and reshoring plus federal infrastructure investment keeps amplifying demand.
The median graduation rate across these 16 schools is 86%. Median graduate earnings reach $82,557 ten years after enrollment, roughly $34,557 more than the national worker average of $48,000. Average net price, the cost after grants, is $24,787 a year, and median federal debt at graduation is about $23,477. Some 21% of students receive Pell grants, and mobility, the share of low-income students who reach the top quintile, averages 2.1%.
Engineering programs that combine ABET accreditation with co-op or internship requirements produce the strongest outcomes. Median earnings of $82,557 reflect the field’s consistent premium over other disciplines. With infrastructure spending accelerating, demand for these graduates is structural rather than cyclical.
The podium
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Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology lands at #1 with a 99/100 composite, led by academic quality (97/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (81/100). Graduates earn a median $143,372 a decade after enrolling, 69% above this list's average, and net price runs $20,111 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Harvard University lands at #2 with a 84/100 composite, led by academic quality (97/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (74/100). Graduates earn a median $101,817 a decade after enrolling, 20% above this list's average, and net price runs $19,066 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
Worcester Polytechnic Institute lands at #3 with a 83/100 composite, led by academic quality (86/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (32/100). Graduates earn a median $103,470 a decade after enrolling, 22% above this list's average, and net price runs $43,071 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
Massachusetts Maritime Academy lands at #4 with a 83/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (53/100). Graduates earn a median $82,392 a decade after enrolling, 3% below this list's average, and net price runs $21,582 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
Wentworth Institute of Technology lands at #5 with a 82/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (35/100). Graduates earn a median $82,721 a decade after enrolling, 3% below this list's average, and net price runs $34,170 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Northeastern University lands at #6 with a 81/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (64/100). Graduates earn a median $92,538 a decade after enrolling, 9% above this list's average, and net price runs $30,915 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #7
Tufts University lands at #7 with a 81/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (56/100). Graduates earn a median $83,214 a decade after enrolling, 2% below this list's average, and net price runs $39,998 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
Boston University lands at #8 with a 80/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (63/100). Graduates earn a median $83,238 a decade after enrolling, 2% below this list's average, and net price runs $24,402 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Smith College lands at #9 with a 79/100 composite, led by academic quality (90/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (71/100). Graduates earn a median $64,027 a decade after enrolling, 25% below this list's average, and net price runs $27,579 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
Western New England University lands at #10 with a 76/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (39/100). Graduates earn a median $73,157 a decade after enrolling, 14% below this list's average, and net price runs $27,290 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Needham, MA · 25% accepted · $25,171 net
Why it ranks #11
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering lands at #11 with a 69/100 composite, led by academic quality (95/100) and pulled down by social mobility (21/100). Graduates earn a median $129,455 a decade after enrolling, 53% above this list's average, and net price runs $25,171 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #12
University of Massachusetts-Lowell lands at #12 with a 69/100 composite, led by academic quality (72/100) and pulled down by social mobility (54/100). Graduates earn a median $64,874 a decade after enrolling, 24% below this list's average, and net price runs $17,163 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
University of Massachusetts-Amherst lands at #13 with a 67/100 composite, led by academic quality (85/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (59/100). Graduates earn a median $71,631 a decade after enrolling, 16% below this list's average, and net price runs $22,383 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #14
Holyoke Community College lands at #14 with a 65/100 composite, led by value per dollar (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (49/100). Graduates earn a median $37,277 a decade after enrolling, 56% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,068 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #15
Merrimack College lands at #15 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (28/100). Graduates earn a median $75,584 a decade after enrolling, 11% below this list's average, and net price runs $37,927 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
North Dartmouth, MA · 91% accepted · $20,927 net
Why it ranks #16
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth lands at #16 with a 63/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (70/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (50/100). Graduates earn a median $68,804 a decade after enrolling, 19% below this list's average, and net price runs $20,927 a year, well under the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 16 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs — and the jobs are
Where these graduates work
Graduates of these programs most often become Mechanical Engineers and related roles — a field with $99,510 median pay and 10% projected growth.
See the Mechanical Engineer career guide →When considering engineering colleges in Massachusetts, students and families are looking for programs that deliver strong outcomes and career opportunities. The average earnings for graduates from these schools sit at $82,686, which reflects the robust job market for engineers in the state. With such a significant investment of time and resources, it's crucial to weigh options carefully.
The best engineering schools here stand out based on key metrics: earnings potential, graduation rates, debt levels, and overall program focus. For instance, schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Worcester Polytechnic Institute demonstrate markedly different outcomes. The figures below will help guide decisions based on what really matters in an engineering education.
Take Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northeastern University, for example. MIT graduates earn an impressive $143,372, while Northeastern's graduates earn $92,538. That’s a significant difference in earnings, but prospective students should also consider the net price and debt. MIT has a net price of $20,111 and debt of $14,768, compared to Northeastern's $30,915 net price and $24,250 debt. Balancing these factors is essential for making an informed choice.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
The backbone of this ranking is social-mobility data from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, which draws on more than 30 million tax records. A school's mobility rate is the share of its students who move from the bottom income quintile to the top. Among the 12 schools on this list with available data, that rate averages 2.1%. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads the group at 3.4%, with Wentworth Institute of Technology (2.6%) and Northeastern University (2.4%) close behind.
Who gets in matters as much as what happens after. Across these schools, an average of 4.9% of students start in the bottom income quintile. Holyoke Community College leads at 13.1%, which signals an admissions door that is actually open to low-income students. Schools that pair high access with high mobility are the ones driving generational change.
Once low-income students enroll, their odds of reaching the top income quintile average 48.4% across this list. Worcester Polytechnic Institute posts the highest success rate at 67.6%. Access without completion and career momentum is an incomplete picture, and this is the number that completes it.
Social capital, measured by economic connectedness, captures the degree of cross-class friendship on campus, another dimension Opportunity Insights ties to long-run outcomes. Across these schools it averages 1.73 against a national benchmark of 1.0. Tufts University reaches 1.89, the highest on the list.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
To understand the differences in outcomes, consider the contrast between Franklin W Olin College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Olin graduates earn $129,455, significantly more than WPI's $103,470. However, WPI has a higher net price of $43,071, meaning students must weigh their potential earnings against their financial investment. This highlights the importance of evaluating return on investment when selecting an engineering school.
After reviewing the data, consider how your priorities align with these metrics. Are you willing to pay more upfront for a college with higher earning potential? Or do you prefer a school with a lower debt burden even if it means slightly lower starting salaries? Think about factors like location and campus culture too, as these can significantly impact your college experience.
Ultimately, this data illustrates the pathway from college to a stable life. Choosing the right engineering program can lead to solid job prospects and financial security. Each family's situation is unique, and understanding these numbers can help make an informed decision that aligns with your long-term goals.
Data Sources
U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard
Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card
Social Capital Atlas
Times Higher Education World Rankings
NCES IPEDS
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Engineering Colleges in Massachusetts: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Best Engineering Colleges in Massachusetts ranking? +
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA ranks #1 in our 2026 Best Engineering Colleges in Massachusetts ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $143,372 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 96% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Massachusetts Institute of Technology posts the highest median earnings on this list: $143,372 ten years after enrollment, well above the $84,848 average across the 16 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads: graduates earn a median $143,372 against net price of about $20,111 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
Harvard University has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 97%, compared with a 78% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $26,239 a year across the 16 ranked schools with cost data. Holyoke Community College is among the most affordable at roughly $8,068. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Best Engineering Colleges in Massachusetts ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 16 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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