What is the Average Retention Rate in Massachusetts?
The retention rate is the percentage of first-time students who attend and continue their study in next year at colleges. The low retention rate means that more students transfer out to or stop/pause the program at a school. In general, high ranked colleges or special purpose colleges' retention rate is higher than others.
The average retention rate of Massachusetts colleges is 75.90% for full-time students and 61.83% for part-time students. 49,976 out of 60,296 full-time first-year students continued their study in next year at Massachusetts colleges. In public Massachusetts colleges, the retention rate is 69% and private schools' rate is 80% By school levels, the retention rate at four-years colleges is 80% and community colleges' rate is 64% in Massachusetts.
The next schools are the top 5 Massachusetts colleges that have the highest retention rate. Massachusetts Institute of Technology has the highest retention rate of 99% among Massachusetts colleges. Harvard University and Northeastern University also have higher rate of 98% and 97% respectively. For the ranking, we exclude community colleges and four-colleges with less than 1,000 first-time students.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Retention Rate: 99%
- Harvard University Retention Rate: 98%
- Northeastern University Retention Rate: 97%
- Boston College Retention Rate: 96%
- Boston University Retention Rate: 95%
The following table summarizes the average retention rate in Massachusetts by school type and level.
| Total | Public | Private (not-for-profit) | Private (for-profit) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 75.89% | 69.21% | 80.15% | 75.95% |
| 4 Years Colleges | 79.71% | 76.00% | 80.60% | - |
| Community Colleges | 63.85% | 60.07% | 71.33% | 81.00% |
| Trade Schools | 74.63% | 73.40% | - | 75.35% |
The following table summarizes the retention rate and number of students by attending status for Massachusetts collegesNumbers in parentheses in each column indicate the number of students in the corresponding category.
| Retention Rate | First-time Students | Enrolled in Next Year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time | 75.90% | 60,296 | 49,976 |
| Part-time | 61.83% | 6,961 | 3,363 |
The following table shows the Massachusetts Colleges. You can see more schools and narrow down the results in search result page.
| School Name | Location | Tuition & Fees | Enrollment | Acceptance Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hult International Business School Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Cambridge, MA | $53,688 | 2,008 | 60.48% | 67% |
| American International College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Springfield, MA | $44,230 | 2,037 | 99.57% | 46% |
| Amherst College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Amherst, MA | $70,480 | 1,914 | 9.01% | 94% |
| Anna Maria College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Paxton, MA | $44,571 | 1,202 | 50.30% | 46% |
| Assabet Valley Regional Technical School Public, less than 2-years | Marlborough, MA | $17,158 ($17,158) | 47 | 85.48% | 50% |
| Assumption University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Worcester, MA | $51,356 | 2,037 | 82.98% | 75% |
| Babson College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Wellesley, MA | $57,152 | 3,932 | 17.09% | 93% |
| Bancroft School of Massage Therapy Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Worcester, MA | $14,975 | 64 | - | - |
| Boston Baptist College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $14,304 | 43 | 90.91% | 14% |
| Bay Path University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Longmeadow, MA | $38,302 | 2,605 | 85.20% | 44% |
| Bentley University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Waltham, MA | $61,000 | 5,333 | 45.05% | 87% |
| Berklee College of Music Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $52,040 | 8,369 | 43.53% | 67% |
| Berkshire Community College Public, 2-4 years | Pittsfield, MA | $11,328 ($5,712) | 1,694 | - | 20% |
| Boston Architectural College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $27,470 | 853 | - | 32% |
| Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis Inc Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Brookline, MA | $22,368 | 169 | - | - |
| Boston College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Chestnut Hill, MA | $70,702 | 15,432 | 16.43% | 91% |
| Boston University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $68,102 | 37,737 | 11.11% | 89% |
| Brandeis University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Waltham, MA | $68,080 | 5,205 | 40.50% | 86% |
| Bridgewater State University Public, four-years | Bridgewater, MA | $17,874 ($11,734) | 9,727 | 87.81% | 53% |
| Bristol Community College Public, 2-4 years | Fall River, MA | $10,776 ($5,832) | 6,950 | - | 22% |
| Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing Private (not-for-profit), 2-4 years | Brockton, MA | $54,075 | 146 | 34.15% | 33% |
| Bunker Hill Community College Public, 2-4 years | Boston, MA | $11,112 ($6,168) | 9,876 | - | 13% |
| Cambridge College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $18,378 | 1,835 | - | 11% |
| Cape Cod Community College Public, 2-4 years | West Barnstable, MA | $10,944 ($6,000) | 3,260 | - | 22% |
| Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Woburn, MA | $14,625 | 174 | - | 96% |
| Laboure College of Healthcare Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Milton, MA | $30,468 | 530 | 50.00% | 100% |
| Clark University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Worcester, MA | $58,467 | 3,925 | 39.54% | 77% |
| Conway School of Landscape Design Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Northampton, MA | - | 17 | - | - |
| Curry College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Milton, MA | $47,570 | 1,994 | 87.65% | 51% |
| Dean College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Franklin, MA | $46,526 | 1,092 | 73.71% | 54% |
| Diman Regional Technical Institute Public, less than 2-years | Fall River, MA | $19,007 ($19,007) | 17 | 39.23% | 75% |
| National Aviation Academy of New England Private (for-profit), 2-4 years | Concord, MA | $38,500 | 241 | - | 75% |
| Eastern Nazarene College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Quincy, MA | $29,924 | 60 | - | 39% |
| Emerson College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $57,056 | 5,263 | 51.31% | 77% |
| Emmanuel College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $48,550 | 1,983 | 75.65% | 68% |
| Endicott College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Beverly, MA | $40,650 | 4,394 | 71.21% | 76% |
| Rob Roy Academy-Fall River Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Fall River, MA | $17,230 | 97 | - | 87% |
| Fisher College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $35,689 | 1,652 | 70.68% | 28% |
| Fitchburg State University Public, four-years | Fitchburg, MA | $17,426 ($11,346) | 5,892 | 86.93% | 55% |
| Framingham State University Public, four-years | Framingham, MA | $18,000 ($11,920) | 4,002 | 83.61% | 48% |
| Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $18,906 | 744 | - | 46% |
| Gordon College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Wenham, MA | $30,700 | 1,595 | 69.23% | 69% |
| Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Private (not-for-profit), four-years | South Hamilton, MA | $24,750 | 1,352 | - | - |
| Greenfield Community College Public, 2-4 years | Greenfield, MA | $11,930 ($5,810) | 1,689 | - | 31% |
| Hampshire College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Amherst, MA | $58,896 | 844 | 75.28% | 54% |
| Harvard University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Cambridge, MA | $61,676 | 30,259 | 3.65% | 98% |
| Hebrew College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Newton, MA | $25,220 | 163 | - | - |
| Hellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Brookline, MA | $22,490 | 274 | 79.63% | 44% |
| College of the Holy Cross Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Worcester, MA | $64,500 | 3,126 | 17.61% | 87% |
| Holyoke Community College Public, 2-4 years | Holyoke, MA | $10,932 ($5,988) | 4,200 | - | 29% |
| Lasell University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Newton, MA | $27,040 | 1,668 | 81.22% | 59% |
| Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing Private (not-for-profit), 2-4 years | Medford, MA | $29,932 | 174 | - | - |
| Lesley University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Cambridge, MA | $34,256 | 2,557 | 96.87% | 58% |
| Longy School of Music of Bard College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Cambridge, MA | $55,275 | 317 | - | 78% |
| Lowell Academy Hairstyling Institute Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Lowell, MA | $14,640 | 66 | - | 82% |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell Public, four-years | Lowell, MA | $36,264 ($16,966) | 16,598 | 83.04% | 65% |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst Public, four-years | Amherst, MA | $40,449 ($17,772) | 31,726 | 59.73% | 83% |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston Public, four-years | Boston, MA | $38,115 ($15,898) | 15,575 | 83.78% | 49% |
| Massachusetts Bay Community College Public, 2-4 years | Wellesley Hills, MA | $10,800 ($5,856) | 4,578 | - | 17% |
| MCPHS University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $40,530 | 5,945 | 85.21% | 62% |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design Public, four-years | Boston, MA | $43,400 ($15,400) | 1,989 | 76.27% | 69% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Cambridge, MA | $62,396 | 11,886 | 4.55% | 96% |
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy Public, four-years | Buzzards Bay, MA | $23,722 ($11,420) | 1,488 | 94.70% | 74% |
| University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School Public, four-years | Worcester, MA | - | 1,489 | - | - |
| William James College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Newton, MA | $11,800 | 967 | - | - |
| Massachusetts School of Barbering Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Quincy, MA | $16,550 | 44 | - | 100% |
| Massasoit Community College Public, 2-4 years | Brockton, MA | $10,320 ($5,376) | 5,574 | - | 19% |
| Merrimack College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | North Andover, MA | $53,962 | 5,862 | 70.02% | 70% |
| MGH Institute of Health Professions Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $95,932 | 1,672 | - | - |
| Middlesex Community College Public, 2-4 years | Bedford, MA | $12,170 ($6,098) | 9,374 | - | 23% |
| Montserrat College of Art Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Beverly, MA | $40,690 | 227 | - | 53% |
| Mount Holyoke College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | South Hadley, MA | $67,018 | 2,275 | 36.03% | 84% |
| Mount Wachusett Community College Public, 2-4 years | Gardner, MA | $11,080 ($6,160) | 3,694 | - | 24% |
| Rob Roy Academy-New Bedford Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | New Bedford, MA | $16,650 | 15 | - | 75% |
| The New England Conservatory of Music Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $60,750 | 853 | 41.10% | 73% |
| New England College of Optometry Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | - | 515 | - | - |
| Nichols College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Dudley, MA | $42,705 | 1,392 | 80.84% | 63% |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Public, four-years | North Adams, MA | $21,381 ($12,436) | 896 | 89.74% | 56% |
| North Bennet Street School Private (not-for-profit), 2-4 years | Boston, MA | $53,350 | 155 | - | 90% |
| North Shore Community College Public, 2-4 years | Danvers, MA | $10,920 ($5,352) | 5,743 | - | 18% |
| Northeastern University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $66,162 | 32,553 | 5.22% | 91% |
| Northern Essex Community College Public, 2-4 years | Haverhill, MA | $12,516 ($6,732) | 4,721 | - | 21% |
| College of Our Lady of the Elms Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Chicopee, MA | $43,325 | 1,268 | 85.26% | 68% |
| Quincy College Public, four-years | Quincy, MA | $8,938 ($8,938) | 3,022 | - | 15% |
| Quinsigamond Community College Public, 2-4 years | Worcester, MA | $11,206 ($6,262) | 7,811 | - | 22% |
| Regis College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Weston, MA | $49,680 | 2,517 | 69.78% | 72% |
| Roxbury Community College Public, 2-4 years | Roxbury Crossing, MA | $11,088 ($6,096) | 2,044 | - | 28% |
| Saint John's Seminary Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Brighton, MA | $30,642 | 86 | - | - |
| Salem State University Public, four-years | Salem, MA | $19,531 ($12,338) | 6,230 | 95.88% | 50% |
| Simmons University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $46,874 | 4,666 | 69.98% | 72% |
| Bard College at Simon's Rock Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Great Barrington, MA | $68,780 | 314 | 95.89% | 68% |
| Smith College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Northampton, MA | $65,178 | 2,857 | 21.00% | 89% |
| Southeastern Technical Institute Public, less than 2-years | South Easton, MA | $11,125 ($11,125) | 260 | 70.57% | 74% |
| Springfield College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Springfield, MA | $44,974 | 2,599 | 71.89% | 74% |
| Springfield Technical Community College Public, 2-4 years | Springfield, MA | $11,112 ($5,904) | 5,447 | - | 32% |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Public, four-years | North Dartmouth, MA | $32,567 ($15,612) | 7,968 | 90.64% | 52% |
| Stonehill College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Easton, MA | $56,370 | 2,674 | 66.28% | 76% |
| Suffolk University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $47,550 | 6,356 | 82.33% | 61% |
| Rob Roy Academy-Taunton Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Taunton, MA | $16,650 | 23 | - | 81% |
| Tufts University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Medford, MA | $70,704 | 13,599 | 11.49% | 94% |
| Wellesley College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Wellesley, MA | $67,176 | 2,407 | 14.05% | 92% |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $42,884 | 4,191 | 91.21% | 68% |
| Western New England University Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Springfield, MA | $47,820 | 3,674 | 83.48% | 64% |
| Westfield State University Public, four-years | Westfield, MA | $18,259 ($12,179) | 4,588 | 81.41% | 54% |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Norton, MA | $63,960 | 1,785 | 67.73% | 73% |
| Williams College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Williamstown, MA | $68,560 | 2,164 | 8.25% | 94% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Worcester, MA | $60,765 | 7,584 | 60.16% | 90% |
| Worcester State University Public, four-years | Worcester, MA | $17,866 ($11,786) | 5,745 | 87.99% | 61% |
| Northpoint Bible College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Haverhill, MA | $14,160 | 122 | - | 54% |
| New England Hair Academy Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Malden, MA | $16,550 | 87 | - | 67% |
| Rob Roy Academy-Worcester Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Worcester, MA | $17,230 | 109 | - | 90% |
| Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School Public, less than 2-years | Bourne, MA | $11,420 ($11,420) | 70 | 71.43% | 76% |
| Greater Lowell Technical School Public, less than 2-years | Tyngsboro, MA | $9,250 ($9,250) | 80 | 75.00% | 100% |
| Empire Beauty School-Malden Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Malden, MA | $13,600 | 95 | - | 78% |
| EINE Inc Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Tewksbury, MA | $16,200 | 47 | - | 100% |
| Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing Public, less than 2-years | Billerica, MA | $14,540 ($14,540) | 37 | - | 80% |
| Motoring Technical Training Institute Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Seekonk, MA | $19,600 | 312 | - | 89% |
| Charles H McCann Technical School Public, less than 2-years | North Adams, MA | $3,770 ($3,770) | 41 | - | 100% |
| Mildred Elley-Pittsfield Campus Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Pittsfield, MA | $16,052 | 46 | - | 56% |
| Urban College of Boston Private (not-for-profit), 2-4 years | Boston, MA | $7,608 | 868 | - | 12% |
| Monty Tech Public, less than 2-years | Fitchburg, MA | $14,350 ($14,350) | 48 | 83.05% | 67% |
| Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Worcester Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Worcester, MA | $15,070 | 192 | - | 81% |
| FINE Mortuary College Private (for-profit), 2-4 years | Norwood, MA | $19,600 | 185 | - | 100% |
| Franklin W Olin College of Engineering Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Needham, MA | $63,742 | 405 | 25.20% | 96% |
| Spa Tech Institute-Westboro Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Westborough, MA | $12,950 | 182 | - | 77% |
| Spa Tech Institute-Plymouth Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Plymouth, MA | $12,950 | 233 | - | 87% |
| DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | West Springfield, MA | $14,750 | 21 | - | 67% |
| Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District Public, less than 2-years | Upton, MA | $13,300 ($13,300) | 42 | - | - |
| Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District Public, less than 2-years | Charlton, MA | $14,500 ($14,500) | 40 | 3.74% | 89% |
| Tri County Regional Vocational Technical High School Public, less than 2-years | Franklin, MA | $10,185 ($10,185) | 72 | - | 70% |
| New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Massachusetts Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | North Andover, MA | $12,395 | 430 | - | 74% |
| Springfield College-Regional, Online, and Continuing Education Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Springfield, MA | $19,887 | 380 | - | - |
| Alexander Academy Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Lunenburg, MA | $18,500 | 39 | - | 50% |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $50,688 | 7,411 | - | - |
| Jupiter Beauty Academy Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Boston, MA | $1,010 | 201 | - | 84% |
| Sattler College Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Boston, MA | $787 | 57 | 69.05% | 81% |
| Technology Learning Center Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Oxford, MA | $7,385 | 31 | - | - |
| Spa Tech Institute-North Andover Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | North Andover, MA | $12,950 | 118 | - | - |
| Thomas Aquinas College - New England Private (not-for-profit), four-years | Northfield, MA | $30,200 | - | - | - |
| Porter and Chester Institute of Worcester Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Worcester, MA | $15,856 | - | - | - |
| Porter and Chester Institute - Brockton Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Brockton, MA | $15,856 | - | - | - |
| Porter and Chester Institute - Chicopee Private (for-profit), less than 2-years | Chicopee, MA | $15,856 | - | - | - |
Related Massachusetts Statistics
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- Graduation Rate Statistics Comparison Between All Massachusetts Schools
- Core Statistics for College Graduation Rate Stats at Massachusetts
- Average Massachusetts Graduation Rate Statistics
- Colleges with Highest Graduation Rate in Massachusetts
- Colleges with Lowest Graduation Rate in Massachusetts
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