If ever there was a state with its finger on the pulse of flexible learning technology, Massachusetts would be it. Colleges like Bunker Hill have been offering online courses for well over a decade, but it's the work that Massachusetts' household names in education have put into distance learning access that have garnered the most attention from students and educators. Campuses like Massachusetts Institute of Technology broke new educational ground in the last decade by offering MIT OpenCourseWare. These online offerings, available completely free of charge, present students with the materials from 2,150 courses online. Since May 2012, Harvard University and MIT have also teamed up to present edX, a hub of online learning and massive online open courses that are complementary and accessible to anyone with an internet connection and access to a computer.
Massachusetts Colleges Online is a conglomeration of 15 community and nine state colleges that have combined their course and program offerings. This portal creates an easy-to-access, flexible option for students who already reside in Massachusetts to study online, as well as those looking to explore out-of-state learning. These are just a handful of examples from the 81 schools in Massachusetts that currently offer distance learning courses.
Massachusetts was either in line with or below the average U.S. tuition rates in 2014 at the two and four-year education level. Over the span of the decade between 2002 and 2012, enrollment for full-time students did increase in Massachusetts at just above the national average of 19%. Private school tuition in the state was some of the highest in the country in 2012, while state funding that same year was the third lowest in the U.S. at just over $3 per student for every $1,000 spent on tuition. Between the 2006-07 and 2011-12 school years, state appropriated funding dropped roughly 8.5%. Still, over a ten year period between 2000 and 2010, enrollment increased by 22.5% in the state. Students who participate in MOOCs or distance learning, non-credit classes are not figured into these rates.
There is much more information about Massachusetts' university and college offerings in our comprehensive list found below. Students can also learn about one or more of the many scholarships available to current and prospective learners on this page. Visit the State Facts page for more stats concerning enrollment and tuition rates, and explore the Higher Learning page for links to more resources and state-sanctioned programs in Massachusetts for students.
Featured Online Programs
84 Colleges in Massachusetts
Additional Resources
Official State Links
College Savings
- MEFA U.Plan: This plan allows families to "lock in" today's rates for attending college in Massachusetts, so that college will be less expensive in the future. Investments are made over a certain period, and the proceeds used to fund college within the state. Should the student decide to attend school elsewhere, the plan will refund the initial investment, plus an amount calculated from the consumer price index. Contributions may be made from anywhere, and are not limited to Massachusetts residents.
- MEFA U.Fund: The 529 Plan for Massachusetts residents, this plan is administered by Fidelity Investments. Proceeds from the plan may be used at any college in the United States. Initial minimum investment is $50, contributions can be as low as $15 per month.There are tax deductions available on Massachusetts tax returns for contributions.
Education Nonprofits
- Massachusetts Higher Education Assistance Corporation: Doing business as American Student Association (ASA), this not-for-profit provides loan origination and administration for the Federal Family Education Loan (FELP) program. This organization was the first of its kind in the U.S.
- Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA): This quasi-governmental entity, operating as a not-for-profit agency, provides services to Massachusetts' resident students and families, as well as the students and families of those who live outside the state but who wish to attend a Massachusetts college or university. MEFA mission is to provide increased access to college via affordable financing and experts able to guide students and parents through the ins and outs of funding college expenses.
Higher Education News
- Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM): This organization addresses policy issues and serves as a liaison to Massachusetts' education stakeholders.
- PHENOM (Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts): An advocacy group for better-funded public higher education in Massachusetts.
- Ellucian: Ellucian addresses issues of higher education that deal with technology.
- OnCampus: This organization is sponsored by WGBH, and addresses statewide issues of education.