University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston, Massachusetts · Public · 83.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 67/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
UMass Boston posts a 67 ROI score in the Fair Value tier. Earnings climb from $42,600 at six years to $65,865 by year ten - the kind of upward trajectory that signals a working credential in the Boston metro labor market. The persistent weaknesses are completion and repayment (only 56.4% of borrowers paid down principal three years out). UMass Boston enrolls 11,512 students with a 41.6% Pell rate, meaning the institution serves a high proportion of working, non-traditional, and first-generation students who often take longer than six years to finish or stop out. The cost-to-outcome math here is good for students who finish; the risk is that low completion rates mean a meaningful share of starters take on $22K in debt without earning the degree.
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,908/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $38,125/yr |
| Average net price | $17,707/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $70,828 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $65,865 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,974 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $233 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 49.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 11,512 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $15,908/year ($38,125/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $17,707/year, or roughly $70,828 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $14,070/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,571/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,974, which works out to about $233 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($42,600) and comes to 0.52, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $14,070 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,558 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,663 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,885 |
| $110,001+ | $25,571 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $14,070 net per year. Combined with Pell ($7,395 max) and Massachusetts MASSGrant aid, this is one of the more affordable Boston-area options for low-income students. The 49.4% completion rate is the real risk; low-income students should plan financial cushions and academic support to avoid stopping out.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
There's a small bracket inversion: $30,001-$48,000 pays $13,558 - slightly less than the $0-$30K bracket. After that, the brackets behave normally: $48,001-$75,000 pays $15,663, then $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $20,885. Middle-income families in the $48-110K range get less institutional aid but still face manageable totals - $63K to $84K across four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $25,571 - the full freight after minimal aid.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Massachusetts-Boston with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $72,746 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $95,648 | B |
| Psychology | $52,200 | C |
| Biology | $65,815 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $64,665 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $62,222 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $83,405 | B |
| Economics | $70,552 | C |
| English Language and Literature | $53,347 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $60,411 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is UMass Boston's flagship program: 372 graduates per year, $79,672 first-year and $95,648 four-year earnings, $30,343 median debt, and a 0.381 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). Boston is a strong healthcare labor market, and BSN graduates from UMass Boston feed directly into Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey, and Boston Children's. The high debt is offset by strong earnings - the math works decisively. This is the standout ROI program at the school.
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering has a small cohort (24 graduates) but the strongest ROI profile on campus: $82,118 first-year and $100,902 four-year earnings, $25,874 debt, 0.315 debt-to-earnings ratio, B+ grade. Six-figure four-year earnings on $26K of debt is a textbook strong outcome. Graduates feed into Boston-area defense, biotech, and robotics employers - a thinner pipeline than CS but high-value when it lands.
Computer and Information Sciences
CS posts $58,909 first-year and $83,405 four-year earnings against $24,391 debt - a 0.414 ratio and B grade with 114 graduates per year. Boston-metro tech employers (HubSpot, Wayfair, Toast, plus enterprise IT) absorb UMass Boston CS grads readily.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
The largest program on campus (414 graduates) with $49,417 first-year and $72,746 four-year earnings against $25,000 median debt - a 0.506 ratio and C+ grade. Solid not spectacular: the four-year earnings ramp is meaningful (50%+ growth) and the Boston metro employs business graduates across financial services, biotech operations, and consumer brands. Most students who major in business at UMass Boston do reasonably well, especially with a finance or accounting concentration.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 251 per year with $38,151 first-year and $52,200 four-year earnings against $26,004 debt - a 0.682 ratio and C grade. The standard psychology problem: bachelor's-only earners struggle relative to the debt taken on. Students should plan for a master's or pivot toward applied complements like social work or HR. As a feeder to MA programs in clinical psychology or counseling, the program serves its purpose; as a terminal degree, the math is tight.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 48.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 56.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 63.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Massachusetts-Boston’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 83.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 530-640 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 540-650 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 22-29 |
| Enrollment | 11,512 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,724 |
The relatively open admissions correlate with the 49.4% completion rate: many students arrive academically prepared on paper but face working-student challenges (commuting, jobs, family obligations). Prepared, full-time students who can avoid stopping out generally do well here.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts-Boston (this school) | 67 | $17,707 | $65,865 |
| Oakland University | 71 | $9,120 | $58,612 |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha | 64 | $13,441 | $53,909 |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 64 | $14,158 | $55,356 |
| Bridgewater State University | 59 | $16,383 | $57,466 |
| Fitchburg State University | 58 | $14,262 | $53,874 |
Who Thrives Here
UMass Boston fits Massachusetts working-class and first-gen students who want a four-year credential and Boston-metro labor-market access without paying private tuition. The 11,512 enrollment, 41.6% Pell rate, and urban commuter character define the school. Outcomes look strongest for nursing, electrical engineering, and CS graduates - those programs feed directly into Boston's biotech, healthcare, and tech sectors at $80K+ starting salaries. Liberal arts and humanities majors face weaker outcomes, as expected anywhere. Students who can attend full-time and finish in 4-5 years extract real value; those who stop out are the ones the data treats badly.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Massachusetts-Boston is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $17,707 a year after aid ($70,828 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $65,865 a decade out, the cost takes about 6.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 49.4% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 56.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $21,974 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $42,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Massachusetts-Boston: Common Questions
Is University of Massachusetts-Boston worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether University of Massachusetts-Boston is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 67/100 on our ROI scale. At $17,707 a year after aid ($70,828 over four years) against $65,865 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 6.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Massachusetts-Boston cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $17,707 a year, or roughly $70,828 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $65,865 ten years after enrolling, roughly $24,065 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of Massachusetts-Boston?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 6.8 years for University of Massachusetts-Boston. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,974, against average earnings of $42,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Massachusetts-Boston?
The six-year graduation rate is 49.4%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.