Massachusetts Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide
This guide to teacher preparation programs in Massachusetts provides useful information for anyone looking to become a teacher in the state. There are several colleges and universities that offer programs that prepare aspiring teachers for a future in the classroom. In order to help you research and find the best program for you, we have created this guide to teaching schools in Massachusetts that includes lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews. For anyone looking for a teaching degree in Massachusetts, this guide should help you find a qualified program that fits your career goals of becoming a teacher.
Quick Facts
- There are 75 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Massachusetts.1
- 20 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*1
- 46 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*1
- 47 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*1
- 15 school ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019.2
- 4 schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020.3
- 6 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019.4
- 5 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019.5
- 12 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.
*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.
Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Massachusetts
Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*
- Harvard University (#4)
- Wellesley College (#10)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (#17)
- College of the Holy Cross (#25)
- Smith College (#37)
- Boston College (#43)
- Tufts University (#55)
- Mount Holyoke College (#69)
- Brandeis University (#99)
- Clark University (#110)
- Boston University (#123)
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst (#178)
- Emerson College (#203)
- Wheaton College (#282)
- Simmons University (#286)
*Institution-wide ranking.
Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020
- Northeastern University
- Simmons University
- Smith College
- Wellesley College
US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019
- Harvard University (#1)
- Boston College (#22)
- Boston University (#34 tie)
- University of Massachusetts-Boston (#66 tie)
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst (#71 tie)
- University of Massachusetts-Lowell (#151 tie)
US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019
- University of Massachusetts-Lowell (#19 tie)
- University of Massachusetts-Boston (#54 tie)
- Fitchburg State University (#228-299)
- Merrimack College (#228-299)
- Western New England University (#228-299)
School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Massachusetts
Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs
We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Massachusetts according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.
While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.
You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2017-2018 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.
Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.
State-Approved School | CAEP Accred.?6 | NCTQ Undergrad Elementary Prog. % (2016)**7 | NCTQ Undergrad Secondary Prog. % (2017)**7 | Teacher Prep Prog. Enrollment8 | Teacher Prep Prog. Completers8 | Licensing Exams Pass Rate8 | Net Price***1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American International College | No | — | — | 1,448 | 368 | 98% | $19,800 |
Anna Maria College | No | — | — | 37 | 14 | 93% | $24,242 |
Assumption College | No | 21% | 46% | 62 | 37 | 100% | $29,024 |
Bay Path University | No | — | — | 113 | 60 | 95% | $18,257 |
Becker College | No | — | — | 7 | 5 | 94% | $33,266 |
Berklee College of Music | No | — | — | 74 | 8 | 99% | $41,382 |
Boston College | Yes | 74% | 93% | 430 | 147 | 94% | $27,299 |
Boston University | No | — | — | 363 | 196 | 96% | $33,728 |
Brandeis University | No | — | — | 89 | 41 | 97% | $32,714 |
Bridgewater State University | Yes | — | 67% | 2,619 | 380 | 100% | $16,667 |
Cambridge College | Yes | — | — | 205 | 60 | 99% | $22,406 |
Clark University | No | — | — | 26 | 26 | 98% | $28,810 |
College of the Holy Cross | No | — | — | 21 | 6 | 79% | $27,005 |
Curry College | No | — | — | 132 | 18 | 100% | $30,565 |
Eastern Nazarene College | No | 1% | 8% | 88 | 28 | 100% | $19,598 |
Elms College | No | 3% | — | 93 | 32 | 100% | $23,846 |
Emerson College | No | — | — | 142 | 61 | 94% | $42,070 |
Emmanuel College | No | — | — | 111 | 50 | 99% | $31,448 |
Endicott College | No | 32% | — | 440 | 130 | 95% | $35,097 |
Fitchburg State University | Yes | — | 67% | 427 | 102 | 100% | $14,649 |
Framingham State University | Yes | 21% | 69% | 225 | 119 | 98% | $19,312 |
Gordon College | No | — | 98% | 468 | 109 | 99% | $30,888 |
Harvard University | No | — | — | 49 | 53 | 99% | $17,030 |
Hellenic College | No | — | — | 4 | 1 | 97% | $25,246 |
Lasell College | No | — | — | 150 | 21 | 96% | $28,441 |
Lesley University | Yes | — | — | 732 | 329 | 100% | $31,298 |
Massachusetts College of Art and Design | No | — | — | 88 | 21 | 97% | $22,043 |
Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts | No | 16% | — | 57 | 33 | 98% | $16,553 |
Merrimack College | No | 2% | 18% | 237 | 93 | 97% | $33,202 |
Montserrat College of Art | No | — | — | 17 | 3 | 95% | $28,777 |
Mount Holyoke College | No | — | — | 27 | 27 | 99% | $29,784 |
Northeastern University | No | — | — | 107 | 68 | 100% | $30,784 |
Regis College | No | — | — | 34 | 12 | 99% | $28,676 |
Salem State University | Yes | — | — | 128 | 184 | 97% | $16,970 |
Simmons University | No | — | 87% | 145 | 154 | 92% | $29,690 |
Smith College | No | 49% | — | 25 | 25 | 98% | $26,734 |
Springfield College | No | — | 34% | 155 | 125 | 100% | $28,453 |
Stonehill College | No | — | — | 212 | 36 | 99% | $33,583 |
Tufts University | No | — | — | 37 | 35 | 99% | $29,449 |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Yes | — | — | 213 | 135 | 100% | $21,281 |
University of Massachusetts-Boston | Yes | — | — | 312 | 137 | 98% | $10,991 |
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | No | — | — | 101 | 36 | 100% | $18,184 |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Yes | — | — | 91 | 59 | 100% | $18,375 |
Wellesley College | No | — | — | 18 | 13 | 97% | $20,189 |
Western New England University | No | — | — | 29 | 11 | 100% | $30,305 |
Westfield State University | Yes | — | — | 518 | 156 | 99% | $15,967 |
Wheaton College | No | — | — | 25 | 15 | 94% | $31,814 |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute | No | — | — | 17 | 6 | 68% | $43,027 |
Worcester State University | Yes | 38% | 8% | 539 | 102 | 98% | $15,256 |
*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).
Profiles of Well-Known Schools
Harvard University: Even the name Harvard University offers a sense of prestige like no other school in the world, and its College of Education is no different. The department is prestigious, well respected and often recognized as one of the leaders in the industry. The Graduate School of Education at Harvard confers a number of program offerings within the master of education degree (Ed.M.) including such areas of study as Higher Education, School Leadership and Teacher Education Program. Doctoral degrees include the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree and the Doctor of Educational Leadership (Ed.L.D.) degree. 21st-century leaders in education are prepared at Harvard through the integration of intellectual studies and professional resources that only the top Ivy League school can offer. Classes are taught by world-renowned research faculty who have authored books, conducted high-level speeches, and been showcased in documentaries and movies.
Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Massachusetts
American International College
1000 State St
Springfield, MA 1109
(413) 737-7000
www.aic.edu
Anna Maria College
50 Sunset Ln
Paxton, MA 01612-1198
(508) 849-3300
www.annamaria.edu
Bay Path University
588 Longmeadow St
Longmeadow, MA 01106
(413) 565-1000
https://www.baypath.edu/

Berklee College of Music
1140 Boylston St
Boston, MA 2215
(617) 747-2222
Berkshire Community College*
1350 West St
Pittsfield, MA
https://www.berkshirecc.edu/

Boston College
140 Commonwealth Ave
Chestnut Hill, MA 2467
(617) 552-8000
www.bc.edu
Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA 2215
(617) 353-2000
http://www.bu.edu/


Brandeis University
415 South St
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
(781) 736-2000
https://www.brandeis.edu/


Bridgewater State University
131 Summer St
Bridgewater, MA 2325
(508) 531-1000
https://www.bridgew.edu/

Bristol Community College*
777 Elsbree St
Fall River, MA 02720-7395
(508) 678-2811
www.bristolcc.edu
Clark University
950 Main St
Worcester, MA 01610
(508) 793-7711
https://www.clarku.edu/

Eastern Nazarene College
23 E Elm Ave
Quincy, MA 02170-2999
(617) 745-3000
www.enc.edu
Emerson College
120 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02116-4624
(617) 824-8500
https://www.emerson.edu/

Endicott College
376 Hale St
Beverly, MA 1915
(978) 927-0585
https://www.endicott.edu

Fitchburg State University
160 Pearl St
Fitchburg, MA 01420-2697
(978) 345-2151
https://www.fitchburgstate.edu/

Framingham State College
100 State Street
Framingham, MA 01701-9101
(508) 620-1220
Gordon College
255 Grapevine Rd
Wenham, MA 1984
(978) 927-2300
www.gordon.edu
Greenfield Community College*
One College Dr
Greenfield, MA 01301-9739
(413) 775-1000
www.gcc.mass.edu
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-1000
https://www.harvard.edu/

Hebrew College
160 Herrick Road
Newton Centre, MA 02459-2237
(617) 559-8600
www.hebrewcollege.edu
Lesley University
29 Everett St
Cambridge, MA 02138-2790
(617) 868-9600
https://lesley.edu/

Massachusetts College of Art and Design
621 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115-5882
(617) 879-7000
https://massart.edu/
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 253-1000
https://web.mit.edu/

Massasoit Community College*
One Massasoit Blvd
Brockton, MA 02302-3996
(508) 588-9100
Mount Holyoke College
50 College St
South Hadley, MA 01075
(413) 538-2000
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/

Middlesex Community College*
Springs Rd
Bedford, MA 01730-9124
(978) 656-3200
www.middlesex.mass.edu
Nichols College
Center Rd
Dudley, MA 01571-5000
(508) 213-1560
www.nichols.edu
North Shore Community College*
1 Ferncroft Rd
Danvers, MA 01923-0840
(508) 762-4000
Northeastern University
360 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115-5000
(617) 373-2000
https://www.northeastern.edu/

Northern Essex Community College*
100 Elliott St
Haverhill, MA 01830-2399
(978) 556-3000
www.necc.mass.edu
Regis College
235 Wellesley St
Weston, MA 02493-1571
(781) 768-7000
www.regiscollege.edu
Salem State University
352 Lafayette St
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 542-6000
https://www.salemstate.edu/

Simmons University
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115-5898
(617) 521-2000
Springfield College
263 Alden St
Springfield, MA 01109-3797
(413) 748-3116
www.spfldcol.edu
The New England Conservatory of Music
290 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115-5018
(617) 585-1100
www.newenglandconservatory.edu
Tufts University
Medford, MA 02155-5555
(617) 628-5000
www.tufts.edu
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA 1003
(413) 545-0111
https://www.umass.edu/


University of Massachusetts-Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd
Boston, MA 02125-3393
(617) 287-5000
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Rd
North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300
(508) 999-8000
www.umassd.edu
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
1 University Ave
Lowell, MA 01854-5104
(978) 934-4000
Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Rd
Springfield, MA 01119-2684
(413) 782-3111
www1.wnec.edu
Westfield State College
577 Western Ave
Westfield, MA 01086-1630
(413) 572-5300
www.wsc.ma.edu
Worcester State College
486 Chandler St
Worcester, MA 01602-2597
(508) 929-8000
www.worcester.edu
An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Tile
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
5. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
6. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
7. National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
8. US Department of Education 2018 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx