2023 Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools and bootcamps that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Our analysis looked at 30 schools in Massachusetts to see which graduate certificate programs offered the best value experiences for students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Top Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Worcester State University the best value school in Massachusetts for students working on their graduate certificate. Worcester State is a public institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 132 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Worcester State are $5,796 a year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Worcester State. During the 2019-2020 year, about 62% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Fitchburg State University is a great place for students working on their graduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, the medium-sized public school handed out 49 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Fitchburg State are $6,012 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Fitchburg State does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 89% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Gordon College is a great place for students working on their graduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Gordon College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Wenham, Massachusetts that handed out 18 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Gordon College are $6,400 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Gordon College. In 2019-2020 about 80% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Emmanuel College Massachusetts is a great place for students working on their graduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Emmanuel Boston graduate students pay an average of $14,319 in tuition and fees each year.
Emmanuel Boston is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Emmanuel Boston excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts list.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Endicott College is a great place for students working on their graduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Beverly, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 23 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Endicott are $12,746 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Endicott. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 84% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Framingham State University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Located in Framingham, Massachusetts, the small public school awarded 22 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Framingham State are $17,460 per year.
Framingham State does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 100% took at least some of their classes online.
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a very small public school located in North Adams, Massachusetts that handed out 6 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at MCLA are $7,347 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at MCLA. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 58% took at least some of their classes online.
Salem State University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Located in Salem, Massachusetts, the medium-sized public school handed out 102 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Salem State are $10,477 a year.
One thing to take note of is that Salem State does offer online graduate classes in some areas. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #9 on the list. UMass Amherst is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 157 graduate certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at UMass Amherst are $32,809 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at UMass Amherst. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 82% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #10, University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. Located in Lowell, Massachusetts, the fairly large public school handed out 261 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
UMass Lowell graduate students pay an average of $26,990 in tuition and fees each year.
UMass Lowell does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 99% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Assumption University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Assumption are $13,856 a year.
Assumption is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
American International College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. AIC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Springfield, Massachusetts. It awarded 106 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at AIC are $12,717 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at AIC. In 2019-2020 about 14% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #13, Worcester Polytechnic Institute did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 96 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at WPI are $29,040 a year.
WPI does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 37% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, WPI is ranked #3 for overall quality in Massachusetts.
Bridgewater State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #14 on the list. Bridgewater State University is a medium-sized public school located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts that handed out 65 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Bridgewater State are $11,397 per year.
Online graduate courses are available at Bridgewater State, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 26% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Elms College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Elms College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicopee, Massachusetts. It awarded 25 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Elms College are $16,017 a year. By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $33,065 in student loans.
Elms College does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 50% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Northeastern University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the large private not-for-profit school handed out 24 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Northeastern are $26,095 a year.
Northeastern does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 29% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Northeastern excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts list.
Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts list. Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 4 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network graduate students pay an average of $23,510 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 66% took at least some of their classes online.
University of Massachusetts - Boston ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts list. UMass Boston is a public institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 186 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at UMass Boston are $36,485 a year.
Online graduate courses are available at UMass Boston, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 100% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Simmons University landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 80 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Simmons are $21,546 a year.
Simmons is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Western New England University landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Western New England University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Springfield, Massachusetts that handed out 11 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Western New England graduate students pay an average of $26,640 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Western New England does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. In fact, around 53% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Cambridge College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts list. Cambridge College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 16 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Cambridge College are $16,409 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Cambridge College does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In fact, around 33% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Harvard University landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 1,869 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Harvard are $52,170 per year. Graduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $19,755 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Harvard does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 96% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Harvard is ranked #1 for overall quality in Massachusetts.
Bentley University landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 28 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Bentley are $42,200 per year. Graduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $23,975 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Since the graduate programs at Bentley are online, the school is an excellent choice for graduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.
Bentley not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #4 on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts list.
With a ranking of #24, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. Located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, the medium-sized public school handed out 73 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at UMass Dartmouth are $30,153 a year.
UMass Dartmouth does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 90% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Tufts University landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Tufts is located in Medford, Massachusetts and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 198 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Tufts are $55,216 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Tufts does offer online graduate classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 88% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Tufts not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #2 on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Massachusetts list.
Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the New England Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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