Massachusetts Colleges & Universities

Amherst, MA — Private liberal arts college, est. 1821; home of the Mammouths (formerly Lord Jeffs); NESCAC member; Division III; one of the nation's most selective liberal arts colleges; part of the "Little Three" (with Williams and Wesleyan); outstanding Division III athletics across multiple sports; strong programs in economics, political science, and the sciences; located in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts

Amherst, MA — Public flagship research university, est. 1863; home of the Minutemen; Atlantic 10 member (basketball) and independent (football); the Commonwealth's flagship university; UMass basketball had one of college basketball's most exciting eras under coach John Calipari in the 1990s, including a 1996 Final Four; Julius Erving (Dr. J) played here; strong programs in computer science, public health, and the humanities

Boston, MA — Private research university, est. 1839; home of the Terriers; Patriot League member; alma mater of Harry Agganis ("The Golden Greek") and Chris Drury (NHL Stanley Cup champion); consistent Division I hockey powerhouse — Terrier Hockey has produced dozens of NHL players; also home of legendary Boston sports broadcaster Mike Gorman

Boston, MA — Private research university, est. 1898; home of the Huskies; CAA member; known for its co-op education model; consistent Division I hockey program; well-regarded programs in law, business, and the sciences in the heart of Boston's Fenway neighborhood

Boston, MA — Public research university, est. 1964; home of the Beacons; Little East Conference member; Division III; located on Columbia Point in Boston Harbor — one of the most dramatic campus settings in New England; the largest public university in Boston proper; strong programs in nursing, business, and the liberal arts; serves a highly diverse urban student population

Bridgewater, MA — Public university, est. 1840; home of the Bears; MASCAC member; Division III; one of the largest universities in the Massachusetts state university system; located in Plymouth County south of Boston; strong programs in education, criminal justice, and the social sciences; consistent Division III athletics

Cambridge, MA — Private Ivy League research university, est. 1636; the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States; home of the Crimson; Ivy League athletics; produced Olympic champions and numerous professional athletes across all sports; its endowment ($50+ billion) is the largest of any university in the world

Cambridge, MA — Private research university, est. 1861; home of the Engineers; Division III (NEWMAC); globally recognized as the world's leading engineering and science institution; notable for producing Olympic-level swimmers and other Division III athletes who also achieve at the highest academic levels

Chestnut Hill, MA (Boston neighborhood) — Private Jesuit research university, est. 1863; home of the Eagles; ACC member; alma mater of Doug Flutie (Heisman Trophy winner, 1984 "Miracle in Miami" Hail Mary), Shea Weber, and dozens of NHL and NFL players; the Doug Flutie Hail Mary against Miami on November 23, 1984 is one of the most watched plays in college football history; consistently competitive in ACC football and hockey

Easton, MA — Private Catholic liberal arts college, est. 1948; home of the Skyhawks; Northeast Conference member; Division I athletics in most sports; located in Easton (Bristol County) near Brockton; consistent NCAA Tournament appearances in basketball; strong programs in business, education, and the sciences

Lowell, MA — Public research university, est. 1894; home of the River Hawks; America East Conference member; one of the most competitive Division I hockey programs in New England; located in Lowell, a historic mill city on the Merrimack River north of Boston; strong programs in engineering, business, and health sciences; notable for its historic campus buildings converted from 19th-century textile mills

Medford, MA — Private research university, est. 1852; home of the Jumbos; NESCAC member; Division III; located on the Medford/Somerville line just north of Boston; exceptional Division III athletics program including football, swimming, and cross country; the "Jumbos" nickname comes from P.T. Barnum's famous elephant, which was donated to Tufts at its death

North Andover, MA — Private Catholic liberal arts college, est. 1947; home of the Warriors; Northeast Conference member; recently transitioned to Division I; located in the Merrimack Valley region north of Boston; strong hockey and lacrosse programs; named after the Merrimack River that flows through the region

Northampton, MA — Private women's liberal arts college, est. 1871; home of the Pioneers; NEWMAC member; Division III; one of the Seven Sisters colleges; one of the largest women's colleges in the country; strong athletics program including nationally competitive rowing and basketball; located in the Pioneer Valley and part of the Five College Consortium with UMass Amherst, Amherst, Hampshire, and Mount Holyoke

Salem, MA — Public university, est. 1854; home of the Vikings; Little East Conference member; Division III; located in Salem, famous for the 1692 witch trials; one of the most historically rich campuses in New England; strong programs in nursing, business, and education; the university has embraced Salem's unique history in its academic programming

South Hadley, MA — Private women's liberal arts college, est. 1837; the oldest women's college in the United States; home of the Lyons; NEWMAC member; Division III; one of the original Seven Sisters colleges; strong athletics including equestrian and cross country programs; located in South Hadley in the Pioneer Valley, part of the Five College Consortium

Springfield, MA — Private liberal arts university, est. 1885; home of the Pride; New England Collegiate Conference member; the birthplace of basketball — James Naismith invented the sport here in 1891, and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is located across the street; "birthplace of volleyball" — William Morgan invented the sport here in 1895; Springfield College has produced more physical education teachers, coaches, and sports administrators than any institution in American history

Waltham, MA — Private research university, est. 1948; home of the Judges; UAA member; Division III; the only nonsectarian Jewish-sponsored research university in the United States; named after Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis; strong athletics despite its Division III status, with multiple NCAA championships in cross country; located in Waltham, just west of Boston

Wellesley, MA — Private women's liberal arts college, est. 1870; home of the Blue; NEWMAC member; Division III; one of the Seven Sisters colleges; alumni include Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright; located 12 miles west of Boston along the Boston Marathon course — Wellesley students are famous for creating the loudest cheering section on the marathon route, known as "the Scream Tunnel"

Williamstown, MA — Private liberal arts college, est. 1793; home of the Ephs; NESCAC member; Division III; consistently ranked the top liberal arts college in the United States; part of the "Little Three"; dominant Division III athletics program — Williams has won more NESCAC all-sports championships than any other institution; located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts

Worcester, MA — Private Catholic liberal arts university, est. 1904; home of the Greyhounds; Northeast Conference member; Division II (transitioning to Division I); located in Worcester, New England's second-largest city; strong programs in business, education, and the liberal arts; affiliated with the Augustinians of the Assumption

Worcester, MA — Private research university, est. 1887; home of the Cougars; NEWMAC member; Division III; the first all-graduate institution in the United States (later became an undergraduate college as well); known for psychology and geography — Sigmund Freud's only visit to the U.S. was to lecture at Clark; consistent Division III athletics

Worcester, MA — Private Jesuit liberal arts college, est. 1843; home of the Crusaders; Patriot League member; Division I; one of the most storied programs in New England — Holy Cross baseball produced Bob Cousy and the famous 1947 alumni who changed Boston sports; the alma mater of multiple Boston Celtics legends including Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, and Bob Auerbach's coaching lineage; consistently competitive Division I athletics across multiple sports

Worcester, MA — Private technological university, est. 1865; home of the Engineers; NEWMAC member; Division III; one of New England's leading engineering and science universities; located in Worcester; consistent Division III athletics including football, basketball, and swimming; known for its project-based curriculum