Which Massachusetts Colleges Make You The Most Money?

If there's one thing Massachusetts has in bulk, it's choices for advancing your education and getting the biggest return on your investment. And four Bay State colleges are among the best investments in America.

Four Massachusetts universities scored among the top 25 on PayScale’s 2017 College ROI Report: Best Value Colleges list, which focuses on a 20-year net return on investment. We have the list of colleges in Massachusetts that provide the best return on investment, in order (see list below).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge topped the Massachusetts list and came in at No. 3 nationwide, offering a 20-year net ROI of $959,000. The university has a total four-year cost of approximately $240,000.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy – second overall in Massachusetts – saw a drastic difference in in-state and out-of-state students. The school came in at 14 overall in America for in-state students, offering a 20-year net ROI of $773,000, but out-of-state students saw a reduction in net ROI of $60,000. Mass. Maritime fell to No. 25 nationwide for out-of-state students, offering a 20-year net ROI of $712,000.

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The list factors in financial aid and in-state versus out-of-state tuition, graduation rates and ability to pay off loans.

Here is the list of 74 colleges Massachusetts in their return-on-investment order (the numbers following the college are: 20-year net ROI; total 4-year cost; graduation rate; typical years to graduate; and average loan amount):

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Private): $959,000; $240,000; 91%; 4 Years; $32,200
2. Massachusetts Maritime Academy (In-State): $773,000; $89,900; 70%; 4 Years; $32,000
3. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) (Private): $752,000; $235,000; 85%; 4 Years; $43,000
4. Babson College (Private): $726,000; $246,000; 90%; 4 Years; $30,000
5. Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Out-of-State): $712,000; $151,000; 70%; 4 Years; $32,000
6. Harvard University (Private): $700,000; $244,000; 98%; 4 Years; $20,300
7. Bentley University (Private): $579,000; $232,000; 88%; 4 Years; $29,900
8. University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Lowell Campus (In-State): $568,000; $104,000; 54%; 5 Years; $28,500
9. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Private): $566,000; $189,000; 71%; 4 Years; $56,000
10. Wentworth Institute of Technology (Private): $516,000; $192,000; 64%; 4 Years; $35,200
11. University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Lowell Campus (Out-of-State): $510,000; $161,000; 54%; 5 Years; $28,500
12. Williams College (Private): $504,000; $252,000; 95%; 4 Years; $21,700
13. Boston College (Private): $494,000; $248,000; 91%; 4 Years; $18,000
14. Tufts University (Private): $456,000; $249,000; 92%; 4 Years; $29,900
15. Northeastern University (Private): $445,000; $237,000; 82%; 5 Years; $25,400
16. University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Amherst Campus (In-State): $415,000; $107,000; 75%; 4 Years; $29,200
17. College of the Holy Cross (Private): $411,000; $236,000; 92%; 4 Years; $32,300
18. Amherst College (Private): $396,000; $251,000; 94%; 4 Years; $26,000
19. Boston University(Private): $394,000; $250,000; 85%; 4 Years; $40,900
20. Brandeis University(Private): $362,000; $249,000; 91%; 4 Years; $28,300
21. (Tie) University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Amherst Campus (Out-of-State): $355,000; $167,000; 75%; 4 Years; $29,200
22. (Tie) University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Dartmouth Campus (In-State): $355,000; $103,000; 47%; 5 Years; $26,800
23. Stonehill College(Private): $338,000; $213,000; 82%; 4 Years; $30,700
24. Western New England College(Private): $321,000; $196,000; 59%; 4 Years; $43,700
25. Eastern Nazarene College(Private): $308,000; $159,000; 47%; 4 Years; $29,400
26. University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Dartmouth Campus(Out-of-State): $305,000; $154,000; 47%; 5 Years; $26,800
27. Merrimack College(Private): $297,000; $203,000; 68%; 4 Years; $44,400
28. Technical Career Institute - Miami, FL(In-State): $284,000; $92,000; 51%; 5 Years; $33,200
29. (Tie) Fitchburg State College(In-State): $279,000; $83,400; 57%; 5 Years; $25,900
30. (Tie) Worcester State University(In-State): $279,000; $93,200; 53%; 5 Years; $27,800
31. Assumption College - Worcester, MA(Private): $275,000; $196,000; 70%; 4 Years; $35,800
32. Simmons College(Private): $264,000; $213,000; 67%; 4 Years; $36,000
33. Wellesley College(Private): $257,000; $241,000; 91%; 4 Years; $17,700
34. (Tie) Fitchburg State College(Out-of-State): $255,000; $108,000; 57%; 5 Years; $25,900
35. (Tie) Nichols College(Private): $255,000; $188,000; 48%; 4 Years; $34,300
36. (Tie) Worcester State University(Out-of-State); $255,000; $117,000; 53%; 5 Years; $27,800
37. Emmanuel College - Boston, MA(Private) $241,000 $208,000 64% 4 Years $38,300
38. Massachusetts College of Art and Design(In-State) $238,000 $109,000 70% 4 Years $38,000
39. Elms College(Private) $222,000 $181,000 78% 4 Years $33,200
40. Bridgewater State College(In-State) $220,000 $92,800 59% 5 Years $31,200
41. Salem State University(In-State) $216,000 $91,400 46% 5 Years $27,200
42. Westfield State University(In-State) $209,000 $85,700 63% 4 Years $27,100
43. Fisher College(Private) $206,000 $189,000 32% 4 Years $32,300
44. Curry College(Private) $197,000 $206,000 45% 4 Years $41,500
45. Bridgewater State College(Out-of-State) $195,000 $117,000 59% 5 Years $31,200
46. Suffolk University(Private) $194,000 $202,000 55% 4 Years $32,700
47. Salem State University(Out-of-State) $192,000 $116,000 46% 5 Years $27,200
48. Westfield State University(Out-of-State) $184,000 $110,000 63% 4 Years $27,100
49. American International College(Private) $182,000 $183,000 38% 4 Years $34,100
50. Becker College(Private) $180,000 $193,000 31% 5 Years $46,800
51. Massachusetts College of Art and Design(Out-of-State) $165,000 $182,000 70% 4 Years $38,000
52. Regis College - Weston, MA(Private) $151,000 $207,000 45% 4 Years $38,700
53. Lesley University(Private) $142,000 $184,000 58% 4 Years $42,900
54. Endicott College(Private) $141,000 $184,000 73% 4 Years $38,300
55. (Tie) Emerson College(Private) $134,000 $220,000 80% 4 Years $43,100
56. (Tie) Pine Manor College(Private) $134,000 $166,000 35% 5 Years $29,700
57. Mount Holyoke College(Private) $132,000 $227,000 80% 4 Years $20,100
58. Clark University - Worcester, MA(Private) $123,000 $198,000 78% 4 Years $28,300
59. Springfield College - Springfield, MA(Private) $117,000 $188,000 69% 4 Years $40,600
60. Wheaton College - Norton, MA(Private) $109,000 $238,000 77% 4 Years $29,100
61. Smith College(Private) $101,000 $245,000 87% 4 Years $19,400
62. North Adams State College(In-State) $85,400 $87,300 52% 4 Years $20,800
63. Anna Maria College(Private) $81,000 $197,000 40% 4 Years $42,600
64. Gordon College - Wenham, MA(Private) $75,700 $182,000 72% 4 Years $30,800
65. Lasell College(Private) $66,100 $187,000 57% 4 Years $31,300
66. Newbury College(Private) $60,300 $181,000 35% 4 Years $31,800
67. Bay Path College(Private) $57,500 $180,000 63% 4 Years $40,800
68. North Adams State College(Out-of-State) $49,600 $123,000 52% 4 Years $20,800
69. Berklee College of Music(Private) $18,900 $236,000 49% 4 Years $62,000
70. Mount Ida College(Private) $6,500 $182,000 41% 4 Years $39,700
71. Hampshire College(Private) ($1,900) $244,000 75% 4 Years $27,400
72. Boston Conservatory(Private) ($76,100) $250,000 66% 4 Years $59,500
73. Wheelock College(Private) ($129,600) $195,000 55% 4 Years $42,100
74. Montserrat College of Art(Private) ($147,800) $161,000 53% 4 Years $35,800

Read the whole national list here.

Tom Davis (Patch Staff) contributed to this report.

Patch file photo