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Compare University of Massachusetts-Amherst vs University of Massachusetts-Boston

Amherst, MA · Boston, MA

University of Massachusetts-AmherstUniversity of Massachusetts-Boston
Cost
Price after aid (average)$22,383/yr$17,707/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$10,164/yr$14,070/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$22,763$21,974
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$10,456/yr$13,558/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$12,932/yr$15,663/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$18,964/yr$20,885/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$30,793/yr$25,571/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$241/mo$233/mo
Room & board (on campus)$16,710/yr$19,128/yr
Room & board (off campus)$16,710/yr$15,179/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,200/yr$1,000/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$1,440/yr$2,994/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$34,549/yr$30,544/yr
Tuition (in-state)$17,772/yr$15,908/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$40,449/yr$38,125/yr
Students with Pell Grants20%42%
Students taking federal loans47%51%
Getting in
Students who get accepted60%84%
SAT range (middle 50%)1310–15001070–1290
SAT average14231194
ACT range (middle 50%)30–3322–29
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 29–35 · Math 27–33English 22–31 · Math 19–26
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received50,42420,918
Students accepted29,12917,353
Students who enrolled5,2862,463
Accepted students who enroll18%14%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores27%28%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores4%2%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredRequired
Recommendation lettersRequiredRequired
Class rankOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
College-prep programRequiredRequired
Demonstrated competenciesRequiredNot considered
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate83%49%
Freshmen who come back92%70%
Typical earnings 10 years in$71,631/yr$65,865/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$43,210–$103,346$38,650–$101,088
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)81%56%
White students graduating87%54%
Black students graduating71%46%
Hispanic students graduating76%44%
Asian students graduating82%55%
Typical earnings 6 years in$60,347/yr$53,521/yr
Earn more than a HS grad82%77%
Graduate on time75%33%
Pell students who graduate74%50%
First-gen students who finish65%51%
Low-income students who finish59%49%
Students who transfer out9.9%27%
Typical earnings 8 years in$66,904/yr$64,922/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 17% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 10% · Social Sciences 9%Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Health Professions 15% · Psychology 11%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 17% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees
2nd most popular programBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degreesHealth Professions — 15% of degrees
3rd most popular programSocial Sciences — 9% of degreesPsychology — 11% of degrees
4th most popular programMulti/Interdisciplinary Studies — 8% of degreesComputer & Information Sciences — 10% of degrees
5th most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 8% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 9% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Business Administration, Management and Operations — $128,746/yrRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $111,431/yr
Degrees in STEM28%23%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment23,67111,512
Students per professor17 : 115 : 1
Graduate students7,8063,437
Average professor pay$14,663/mo$12,724/mo
Full-time professors81%60%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byNew England Commission on Higher EducationNew England Commission on Higher Education
Median family income$74,291$31,247
SettingCity (small)City (large)
LocationAmherst, MABoston, MA
RegionNew EnglandNew England
Founded18631964
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral Universities: Very High Research ActivityDoctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students7.6%6.7%
Men48%45%
Women52%55%
White students57%30%
Black students4.6%18%
Hispanic or Latino students9.1%21%
Asian students14%16%
Two or more races4.7%3.8%
Other / not reported3.1%3.9%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students22%43%
Part-time students4.3%15%
Students age 25+4.7%16%
Spent on teaching per student$20,843/yr$19,582/yr
Endowment$579.7M$171.3M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing14,4651,102
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$8,154/yr$11,332/yr
Meal plan charge$7,283/yr$6,180/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by weekVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationLand-grant institutionNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCYes — Army, Air ForceNo
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesYesNo
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careYesNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I-FBSNCAA Division III without football
Football teamYesNo
Varsity teams1715
Student athletes611374
Athletic scholarships$13.6M$0
Athletics budget$57.7M$6.1M
Athletics revenue$57.7M$6.6M
Recruiting spend$1.2M$57,428

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.