These Are The Top Massachusetts Colleges In 2027 U.S. News Rankings

The state known for its prestigious universities is well represented on this list.

By Benjamin Pierce, Patch Staff

Sep 23, 2026 9:18 AM EDT

MIT continues to top national rankings as the nation's best university. (Jenna Fisher/Patch)

Eight colleges and universities in Massachusetts earned spots in the 2027 Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

The highest-ranked Massachusetts school was the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which placed first among the best national universities. Harvard University ranked third, followed by Boston College, tied at 31.

Here are the Massachusetts schools included in the rankings in the top 100 nationwide:

MIT, Cambridge #1
Harvard University, Cambridge #3
Boston College, Chestnut Hill #31 (tie)
Boston University, Boston #34 (tie)
Northeastern University, Boston #42 (tie)
Brandeis University, Waltham #59 (tie)
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst #59 (tie)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester #73 (tie)

Schools may appear in several lists, including National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges and four regional university and college categories. U.S. News also publishes rankings for public universities, historically Black colleges and universities, undergraduate programs and schools offering strong value or support for veterans.

Some Rankings Changed Sharply

The 2027 edition brought more movement than usual because U.S. News changed both its scoring formula and the categories in which many schools compete.

The rankings feature a new metric comparing graduates' four-year post-college earnings within their specific fields of study. This evaluates graduates against peers in the same subject nationwide, preventing schools from being rewarded solely for producing graduates in high-paying fields like engineering or finance.

Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard covers employed federal financial aid recipients with bachelor's degrees. This metric replaced graduate indebtedness, which U.S. News discontinued due to outdated, uncertain debt data.

About one-fifth of the institutions evaluated were also moved into different categories under an updated classification system developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education.

A school's move from one list to another may reflect its new category, not a change in academic quality, U.S. News said.

The outlet also added an undergraduate economics specialty ranking and a Best Value Schools for In-State Students list examining affordability at public colleges.

Overall Rankings

U.S. News said the best Massachusetts universities overall in the North region are:

1. Babson College, Babson Park #1

2. Bentley University, Waltham #2

3. Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Bourne #10

4. Endicott College, Beverly #19 (tie)

5. Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston #22 (tie)

6. Merrimack College, Andover #25 (tie)

7. Assumption University, Worcester #29 (tie)

8. MCPHS, Boston #39 (tie)

9. Berklee College of Music, Boston #45 (tie)

10. Regis College, Weston #45 (tie)

11. Springfield College, Springfield #45 (tie)

12. Elms College, Chicopee #56 (tie)

The top private and public universities are

National Universities (Private)

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

2. Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

3. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

National Universities (Public)

1 . University of California, Berkeley (tie)

1 . University of California, Los Angeles (tie)

3. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

National Liberal Arts Colleges

1. Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts

2. Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts

3. Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine (tie)

3. Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California (tie)

3. Pomona College, Claremont, California (tie)

3. Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania (tie)

How Rankings Are Calculated

U.S. News evaluates schools using measures that include graduation and retention rates, the performance of students who received federal Pell Grants, faculty resources, academic reputation, graduates' earnings, and student debt.

U.S. News said the rankings should be considered one tool among many when choosing a college. Cost, financial aid, available majors, campus culture, location, and a student's likelihood of graduating can matter more than a school's numerical position.