Best Design and Applied Arts Programs in Massachusetts
Updated
This page ranks the 14 Design and Applied Arts programs in Massachusetts by the median earnings of Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Northeastern University leads the list with median earnings of $87,336 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed schools, the figures range from $87,336 to $32,379, with a median of $48,786. For 2 of the 14 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
3 of the schools are public and 11 are private nonprofit, a 21% public share. Fitchburg State University posts the lowest average net price on the page at $14,262.
Boston University ranks 170th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $87,336 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
| Northeastern University reports $87,336 in median earnings of Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing alongside an admission rate of 5%. | |||||
| 2 | Boston University · Boston, MA | $72,809 | $24,402 | $9,500 | 11.1% |
| Boston University ranks 2nd on this list and carries an average net price of $24,402. | |||||
| 3 | Wentworth Institute of Technology · Boston, MA | $68,160 | $34,170 | $27,018 | 91.2% |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology posts median earnings of $68,160 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 65 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 4 | Endicott College · Beverly, MA | $64,559 | $40,654 | $29,780 | 71.2% |
| Endicott College shows a median federal debt of $27,000 among Design and Applied Arts completers who borrowed and an admission rate of 71%. | |||||
| 5 | Emmanuel College · Boston, MA | $63,616 | $26,706 | $20,399 | 75.7% |
| Emmanuel College reports $63,616 in median earnings of Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $20,399 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 6 | Suffolk University · Boston, MA | $60,159 | $29,618 | $24,745 | 82.3% |
| Suffolk University ranks 6th on this list, with median earnings of $60,159 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth · North Dartmouth, MA | $51,857 | $20,927 | $15,976 | 90.6% |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth carries an average net price of $20,927 and a median federal debt of $26,000 among Design and Applied Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 8 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design · Boston, MA | $45,716 | $24,100 | $16,351 | 76.3% |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design reports $45,716 in median earnings of Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing from a cohort of 110 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 9 | Lesley University · Cambridge, MA | $45,099 | $31,152 | $24,799 | 96.9% |
| Lesley University admits 97% of applicants and shows a median federal debt of $23,333 among Design and Applied Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 10 | Fitchburg State University · Fitchburg, MA | $42,946 | $14,262 | $10,204 | 86.9% |
| Fitchburg State University posts median earnings of $42,946 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,262. | |||||
| 11 | Stonehill College · Easton, MA | $41,789 | $33,016 | $23,605 | 66.3% |
| Stonehill College reports $41,789 in median earnings of Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $23,605 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 12 | Assumption University · Worcester, MA | $35,954 | $29,498 | $19,885 | 83.0% |
| Assumption University carries an admission rate of 83% and median earnings of $35,954 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | Montserrat College of Art · Beverly, MA | $33,496 | $33,216 | $25,388 | Not reported |
| Montserrat College of Art, a private nonprofit college in Beverly, reports median earnings of $33,496 for its Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 31. | |||||
| 14 | Lasell University · Newton, MA | $32,379 | $27,511 | $18,334 | 81.2% |
| Lasell University ranks 14th on this list and shows an admission rate of 81%, alongside an average net price of $27,511. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Design and Applied Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Massachusetts appear. The figures come from federal earnings data for Design and Applied Arts completers who received federal aid, were working and not enrolled, and are measured four years after completing. For 2 of the 14 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or the characteristics of who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from Northeastern University to the bottom of the list is $54,957, and the gap between Northeastern University and Boston University is $14,527.
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