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Most selective colleges in Massachusetts

Updated Federal and Common Data Set numbers, each with its year

The short answer

The most selective four-year colleges in Massachusetts are Harvard (4.2% admitted), MIT (4.6% admitted) and Northeastern (5.6% admitted), by acceptance rate.

Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.

The list (25 of 58)

Four-year colleges in Massachusetts with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 25 of the 58 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 13 colleges and IPEDS (fall 2024) for 12 colleges.

  1. Harvard University 4.2% admitted Cambridge, MA · Average price after grants: $19,148 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.6% admitted Cambridge, MA · Average price after grants: $14,815 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  3. Northeastern University 5.6% admitted Boston, MA · Average price after grants: $29,060 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  4. Amherst College 7.7% admitted Amherst, MA · Average price after grants: $19,536 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  5. Williams College 8.6% admitted Williamstown, MA · Average price after grants: $15,157 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  6. Tufts University 11% admitted Medford, MA · Average price after grants: $38,797 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  7. Boston University 13% admitted Boston, MA · Average price after grants: $36,503 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  8. Wellesley College 15% admitted Wellesley, MA · Average price after grants: $23,995 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  9. Boston College 16% admitted Chestnut Hill, MA · Average price after grants: $38,930 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  10. Babson College 17% admitted Wellesley, MA · Average price after grants: $34,096 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  11. College of the Holy Cross 18% admitted Worcester, MA · Average price after grants: $38,829 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  12. Smith College 22% admitted Northampton, MA · Average price after grants: $25,519 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  13. Mount Holyoke College 38% admitted South Hadley, MA · Average price after grants: $30,861 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  14. Clark University 40% admitted Worcester, MA · Average price after grants: $29,446 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  15. Berklee College of Music 44% admitted Boston, MA · Average price after grants: $47,587 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  16. Brandeis University 45% admitted Waltham, MA · Average price after grants: $30,606 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  17. Bentley University 47% admitted Waltham, MA · Average price after grants: $38,969 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  18. Laboure College of Healthcare 50% admitted Milton, MA Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  19. Emerson College 51% admitted Boston, MA · Average price after grants: $49,215 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  20. UMass Amherst 60% admitted Amherst, MA · Average price after grants: $22,857 a year in-state, about $46,129 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  21. Worcester Polytechnic Institute 60% admitted Worcester, MA · Average price after grants: $43,885 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  22. Hult International Business School 61% admitted Cambridge, MA · Average price after grants: $47,733 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  23. Stonehill College 66% admitted Easton, MA · Average price after grants: $36,082 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  24. Wheaton College (Massachusetts) 68% admitted Norton, MA · Average price after grants: $31,147 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  25. Gordon College 69% admitted Wenham, MA · Average price after grants: $25,227 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in Massachusetts?

The most selective four-year colleges in Massachusetts are Harvard (4.2% admitted), MIT (4.6% admitted) and Northeastern (5.6% admitted), by acceptance rate.

How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?

17 of the 25 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.

How recent are these acceptance rates?

Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.

Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.

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