Universities and Colleges in Boston

Consult this guide to Boston colleges and universities

With 60+ universities and colleges in Boston, Cambridge, and nearby locations, you'll find the largest concentration of higher education institutions in North America.  And with online college classes available at many, you can access them from almost everywhere.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Add in numerous research centers, Boston career and technical schools, and online college courses from universities and colleges in Boston - and you can see the rich educational and intellectual diversity offered by institutes of higher learning here.  You can take classes in everything from quantum physics to wine tasting.

With more than 250,000 students attending universities and colleges in the Boston area at any given time, Boston hosts the second highest number of students of any North American city.  (Only Montreal has more.)  If you're considering universities and colleges in Boston, you'll find a lot of interesting choices. 

And if you're visiting Boston for a vacation with teens or even pre-teens who will be applying to colleges in a few years, think about adding a campus tour or two to your itinerary.  It's a great opportunity to expose your kids to different colleges before the pressure of senior year application fever, plus you'll see some interesting places.  Who knows . . . maybe your child will fall in love with Harvard or MIT and trade in the iPod for a calculator.

Most of the tours at colleges in Boston last about 45 - 60 minutes, and many are conducted by students.  You're sure to hear some tidbits about the college's culture in addition to useful information about academics and campus life.

And who knows, you may be back in a few years to help your in-coming freshman unpack at a Boston college or university. 

Guide to Universities and Colleges in Boston

The schools in this section offer Bachelor degrees, and in many cases, Master and Doctoral degrees.  Some also offer Associate degrees.

Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University  (Fenway, Boston)
Focused on preparing students for careers in art, the Art Institute offers Bachelor and Master degrees.  Courses cover a variety of areas including web and multimedia design, graphic design, advertising and editorial illustration, animation, photojournalism, art education, and even fine arts.

Babson College  (Wellesley)
Babson is all about business . . . and both the undergraduate and graduate programs have outstanding reputations.  Babson is one of the best colleges in Boston for entrepreneurial leadership programs.

Bay Path College  (Longmeadow, Burlington)

Although the main campus is in Longmeadow, a Saturday program and some graduate programs are offered in Burlington, north of Boston.  The undergraduate program offers career-oriented majors to an all-female student body.  A coed graduate program is designed for working professionals.

Bay State College  (Back Bay, Boston)
Originally founded to serve the airline industry, this college in Boston's Back Bay now offers Associate and Bachelor degrees in Business, Fashion, and Entertainment Management.

Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology  (Back Bay, Boston)
Established due to an unusual provision in Benjamin Franklin's will, the school offers a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Technology, and Associate degrees in Industrial and Engineering Technologies, as well as Opticianry.

Bentley University (Waltham) 
One of the best colleges in Boston for business.  This highly ranked school a few miles west of the city specializes in finance, accounting, and information systems.

Berklee College of Music (Fenway, Boston) 
This music college specializes in musical performance and composition training in jazz, rock, and other contemporary music not normally stressed at other schools.  Undergrads come from 70+ different countries.

Boston Architectural College   (Back Bay, Boston)
New England's largest independent design college, offering bachelor and master degrees in architecture and design.  It may also be the only college in Boston that started 100+ years ago as a private club.

Boston Baptist College  (Hyde Park, Boston)
A small Bible college with about 130 students.  Offers Associate and Bachelor degrees in Biblical studies.  

Boston College (Chestnut Hill, Newton) 
Despite its name, Boston College is actually a university, and home of one of the largest Jesuit communities in the U.S.  In addition of offering highly-ranked liberal arts programs, it also has a beautiful hilltop campus with many buildings featuring "collegiate gothic" architecture.

Boston Conservatory (Fenway, Boston) 
An arts conservatory with undergraduate and graduate programs music, dance, theater, and music education.

Boston University (Fenway, Boston and Allston)
With over 30,000 students and 4,000 faculty, BU is the fourth largest private university in the U.S.  BU includes 18 schools and colleges, and offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in numerous disciplines.

Brandeis University  (Waltham)
Established in 1948 as a Jewish-sponsored private nonsectarian research university, Brandeis is located on a wooded campus about 8 miles west of Boston.  It offers strong liberal arts and international programs, plus a number of graduate and research programs.

Cambridge College  (Cambridge, and online)
One of the best colleges in Boston for adult education for working adults.  Offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in education, counseling, management, and human services.  Cambridge College features collaborative learning and recognizes prior learning and life experiences.  Classes are onsite and online.

Colleges of the Fenway  (Fenway, Boston)
This group of small colleges in Boston's Fenway neighborhood allows their students to cross-register, greatly increasing course options.  Students also share many sports and student activities.  Colleges of the Fenway include Emmanuel, Mass College of Art, Mass College of Pharmacy, Simmons, Wentworth, and Wheelock.

Curry College  (Milton)
This private liberal arts school offering Bachelor and Master degrees started back in 1879 as the School of Elocution, with telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell as its chancellor.

Dean College  (Franklin)
Dedicated to help each student fulfill his or her potential based on individual learning styles, Dean offers Associate degrees in 15 academic majors, Baccalaureate degrees in Entertainment Management and Dance, and several Bachelor degree options in partnership with Suffolk University.

Eastern Nazarene College  (Quincy)
Sponsored by the Church of the Nazarene, this interdenominational school blends faith with scholastics, offering Associate and Bachelor degrees in 50+ areas, along with continuing ed and graduate programs for working adults.  The tree-filled 15 acre campus doubles as an arboretum.

Emerson College  (Theatre District in Downtown Boston)
This private university began as the Boston Conservatory of Elocution, Oratory, Dramatic Art, and today focuses on communications and performing arts.  It owns several of Boston's historic theaters, as well as state-of-the-art television and recording studios.  One of the most active colleges in Boston in the local media and performance arena.

Emmanuel College, small college in Boston's Fenway neighborhood

Emmanuel College  (Fenway, Boston)
A Roman Catholic liberal arts school, all-female until 2001, offering internships, research, and other collaborative opportunities in Boston's Longwood Medical area.  Part of Colleges of the Fenway.

Endicott College  (Beverly, Boston)
One of the formerly all-female colleges in Boston, Endicott was founded in 1839 for the purpose of educating women.  The school is now coed and offers a broad spectrum of liberal arts programs for Associate, Bachelor, and Master degrees.   A mandatory internship program links classroom work with professional experience.

Fisher College  (Back Bay, Boston)
Offering a Bachelor of Science in Management, Fisher blends liberal arts courses with career training and preparation.

Framingham State College  (Framingham, MA)
Founded in 1839, this public college west of Boston offers small classes, 25 undergraduate majors, and 24 graduate programs.  Although especially well known for its teacher education programs, it also offers a nursing program (R.N.) and many liberal arts majors, as well as pre-law, pre-medical, and pre-engineering programs.

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering  (Needham, MA)
Open only since 2002 and possibly the newest college in Boston, Olin offers engineering degrees and a commitment to provide world-class engineering education at an affordable cost - a commitment backed up by Olin Scholarships covering 100% of the tuition portion of student fees for all 4 years.

Gordon College  (Wenham, MA)
The only non-denominational Christian college in Boston and greater New England, Gordon College focuses on providing a Christian community for its students by integrating Christian beliefs with classroom studies.

Harvard University (Cambridge)
Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the most famous in the world.  With 8 schools and a Division of Continuing Education, Harvard is a leader in too many areas to count.

Hebrew College  (Newton Centre)
Offers comprehensive Jewish and Hebrew studies in a non-sectarian environment.  Emphasizes preparation for Jewish careers ranging from Jewish education to Jewish music to rabbinical studies.

Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology  (Brookline)
As the only fully accredited 4-year liberal arts Orthodox Christian college in the Americas, Hellenic College offers Bachelor degrees.  Holy Cross is a 3-year program of graduate-level theological studies leading to a Master of Divinity degree.

Labouré College  (Dorchester, Boston)
As the first Roman Catholic school of nursing in New England, Labouré has offered Associate degrees in Nursing and Allied Health for a long time, and expects to admit its first class for a Bachelor of Science for Registered Nurses degree in 2009.

Lasell College (Newton)
Founded in 1851 as a school for women, Lasell became coed in 1997.  Fashion Design is the most popular major, although Lasell also offers degrees in Hospitality and Event Management, Athletic Training, Communications, Retailing, and Management.

Lesley University (Cambridge)
Although Lesley offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of fields, it is renowned for its programs in education. 

Longy School of Music (Cambridge)
One of 4 degree-granting music colleges in Boston and Cambridge, Longy specializes in the French conservatoire method in which faculty master classes are emphasized. 

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Massachusetts College of Art and Design   (Fenway, Boston)
Combines a professional education in art and design with a strong liberal arts foundation in its undergraduate, graduate, and continuing ed programs.

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences  (Fenway, Boston)
Offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in a wide array of programs in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, dental hygiene, radiologic sciences, environmental sciences, health studies, health policy, drug regulatory affairs, premedical studies, medicinal chemistry, and other areas.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge)
Large, world-renowned research university with top engineering, science, and business programs.  MIT boasts 73 Nobel Laureates, and has one of the largest endowments and annual research budgets of any American university.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Buzzards Bay)
This 4-year state college, located on Cape Cod, offers Bachelors and Masters degrees in disciplines that prepare students for careers in seagoing, engineering, and environmental professions, as well as other areas.  In addition to earning a B.S. degree, Massachusetts Maritime Academy Students also have the opportunity to earn a Merchant Marine Officer's License and a Naval Officer's Commission.

Merrimack College  (North Andover, MA)
This Roman Catholic college north of Boston offers programs in liberal arts, business, science, and engineering.  A cooperative education program combining classroom study with work experience in area businesses prepares students for careers in their chosen fields.

Montserrat College of Art  (Beverly, MA)
Started in the 1960s by a group of artists who wanted to provide professional education in the visual arts, Montserrat offers diplomas and a Bachelor degree to students who work primarily in a studio environment creating art under the guidance of a faculty of artists, designers, and scholars.

Mount Ida College (Newton)
Reflecting a merger with 3 other small colleges in the 1980s, Mount Ida's eclectic mix of programs ranges from American Studies to Equine Management, from Interior Design to Funeral Home Management.

New England Conservatory  (Fenway, Boston)
The oldest independent conservatory in the U.S., and one of the finest.  Strong undergrad and graduate programs, as well as preparatory, professional, and continuing ed programs.  Jordan Hall, NEC's primary performance space, hosts over 600 concerts a year.  Its incredible beauty is matched by its splendid acoustics.

New England Institute of Art  (Brookline)
Part of the national for-profit Art Institute group, the New England Institute for Art offers Associate and Bachelor degrees and a career-oriented approach in areas such as advertising, digital filmmaking, video production, graphic design, interior design, and photography. 

Newbury College  (Brookline)
Two and four year degree programs with multiple major options in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Business, and Arts, Sciences, and Design.

Northeastern University (Fenway, Boston)
Nationally renowned for its 5-year cooperative education program, Northeastern offers majors in a wide variety of disciplines while giving students to gain valuable hands-on experience in their chosen field.  Once known as a commuter school, Northeastern now ranks as a large research institution.

Pine Manor College  (Chestnut Hill, Newton)
Small all-women's liberal arts college offering Associate and Bachelor degrees.

Regis College  (Weston)
This small formerly female-only Roman Catholic school became coed in 2007.  It offers a liberal arts curriculum at the undergrad and graduate levels, and is known for its strong nursing program.

Roxbury Community College  (Roxbury, Boston)
This Massachusetts public college offers Associate degrees and certificate programs in liberal arts, career development, and workforce training.  Many graduates transfer into 4-year schools to continue their education.

Salem State College (Salem)
This public college north of Boston provides affordable tuition.  Most popular majors are business, education, nursing, and criminal justice.

School of the Museum of Fine Arts (Fenway, Boston)
Dedicated to the visual arts, the Museum School offers undergraduate and graduate programs to aspiring artists and art teachers in partnership with Tufts University and Northeastern University.

Simmons   (Fenway, Boston)
Started in 1899 for the purpose of educating women in "useful professions," Simmons is a small university with an all-women undergrad program combining liberal arts with professional work experience, and coed graduate programs.  Also offers the only MBA program in the world designed specifically for women.  Simmons belongs to the Colleges of the Fenway.

Stonehill College  (Easton)
This coed Roman Catholic college offers 70+ liberal arts, science, and pre-professional programs.

Suffolk University  (Downtown, Boston)
This private university with an emphasis on globalism also has campuses in Madrid, Spain and Dakar, Senegal.  It focuses on offering high quality education at a reasonable cost and emphasizing diversity.

Tufts University (Medford)
This internationally-known research university includes 10 schools, of which only 2 award undergrad degrees.  Although perhaps best known for its emphasis on international studies, Tufts offers excellent programs in many different areas.

University of Massachusetts at Boston  (Dorchester, Boston)
This large public research university is the 2nd largest campus in the University of Massachusetts system, and includes 7 schools.  Primarily a commuter school, it is in the early stage of shifting to a residential model.

Wellesley College  (Wellesley)
This all-women liberal arts college offers undergraduate degrees in single majors, double majors, interdisciplinary, and cross-disciplinary areas, as well as cross-registration with MIT and exchanges with other area schools.

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Wentworth Institute of Technology  (Fenway, Boston)
Career-oriented Bachelor degree programs in architecture, computer science and systems, engineering, engineering technology, environmental science, construction management, and other technically-oriented areas.  Features a hands-on approach in extensive lab and studio work.

Wheaton College  (Norton)
Once an all-women's college, this private liberal arts college became coed in 1987.  Offering 40 majors and 50 minors, Wheaton also offers duel-degree and pre-professional programs, as well as courses designed to encourage students to think beyond their area of interest.

Wheelock College  (Fenway, Boston)
One of the Colleges of the Fenway, Wheelock College combines liberal arts with professional training in undergrads and graduate students in elementary and childhood education, special ed, daycare, counseling, social work, and child life work.

Research Institutes and Post-Graduate-Only Institutes

Andover Newton Theological School (Newton Centre)
Founded in 1807, this is the oldest graduate school of theology in the United States, with 250 students from over 35 denominations.

Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis  (Brookline)
A small independent psychoanalytic graduate school offering Master and Doctoral degrees in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic counseling. 

Episcopal Divinity School  (Cambridge)
An episcopal seminary that offers graduate degrees in theological studies, divinity, and ministry

Forsyth Institute   (Fenway, Boston)
Primarily a research institute focused on dental and oral health, Forsyth also offers a large post-doctoral training program in biomedical research.

Massachusetts College of Professional Psychology  (West Roxbury, Boston)
A graduate-level institute offer Masters and Doctoral programs in psychology.  

MGH Institute of Health Professionals  (West End, Boston)
Affiliated with world-famous Massachusetts General Hospital, the Institute combines clinical research with classroom experiences and awards Master and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Investigation, Medical Imaging, Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Communications Sciences and Disorders.

St. John's Seminary  (Brighton, Boston)
Men-only Roman Catholic school that offers a graduate-level Masters of Divinity program, although most of its property was sold to Boston College in 2004-06.

Law Schools in Boston

Boston College Law School  (Chestnut Hill, Newton, Boston)

Boston University School of Law (Fenway, Boston) 

Harvard Law School  (Cambridge)

New England School of Law  (Theatre District, Downtown Boston)
NESL's part-time evening division allows many working adults to pursue a law degree, although the full-time day division is actually larger.

Northeastern School of Law  (Fenway, Boston)

Suffolk University Law School  (Downtown, Boston)    
The fourth oldest law school in New England and the fourth largest in the U.S., Suffolk was founded in 1906 to provide immigrants, minorities, and the working class with the opportunity to study law.  Suffolk offers full-time and part-time programs.  Television shows The Practice and Boston Legal feature fictional Suffolk grads.

Tufts University - Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Medford)
The nation's oldest graduate school in international relations, Fletcher offers an LL.M. degree in international law for legal professionals and an M.A. in law and diplomacy, along with Master and Doctoral degrees in other areas related to international law and diplomacy. 

Medical Schools, Dental Schools, and other Health Professional Schools in Boston

Boston University - Goldman School of Dental Medicine  (Fenway, Boston)

Boston University School of Medicine (South End, Boston)

Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Harvard Medical School

MGH Institute of Health Professions (West End, Boston, and online)
This graduate school founded by the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) grants master's degrees, doctoral degrees, certificates in advanced study, and continuing education in onsite and online medical classes.  Nursing, Physical Therapy, Medical Imaging, and Communications Sciences and Disorders are the primary focus. 

New England College of Optometry  (Back Bay, Boston)
The oldest continually operating college of optometry in the U.S., and a leading research center.  Students in the Doctor of Optometry and Master of Vision Science programs get clinical experience at the nearby New England Eye Institute.

Tufts School of Dental Medicine  (Chinatown, Boston)

Tufts School of Medicine  (Chinatown, Boston)

Tufts University - Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine  (Grafton, MA)

Graduate Schools of Management

Babson College - F. W. Olin Graduate School of Business (Wellesley)

Bentley University McCallum Graduate School   (Waltham, MA)

Boston College - Carroll School of Management (Chestnut Hill, Newton, MA)

Boston University School of Management  (Fenway, Boston)

Brandeis International Business School (Waltham, MA)

Harvard Business School   (Allston, Boston)

Northeastern School of Management  (Fenway, Boston)

Suffolk University - Sawyer School of Business  (Downtown Boston)

UMass Boston College of Management (Dorchester, Boston)

Other Boston Schools

These schools offer Associate degrees, certificates, professional and career training, and even enrichment classes.

North Bennet Street School (North End, Boston and Arlington, MA)
With a focus on training students for careers in traditional trades that require hand skills, this rather famous school offers programs and workshops in a wide range of areas.  Perhaps best known for its highly acclaimed violin making and furniture making programs, Bennet also offers training in bookbinding, preservation carpentry, jewelry making, and piano technology.

Boston Center for Adult Education  (Bay Village, Boston)
Here's where to come when you want to learn something just for fun - cake decorating . . . how to pay off your debt . . . pet first aid . . . Samba . . . and much, much more.  Fees are very affordable, and many classes meet one time only - so if you're visiting Boston just for the weekend and want to take a class in something fun and interesting, check out BCAE's offerings.

Bunker Hill Community College  (Charlestown)
The 8,500 students attending this 2-year college come from 90+ countries, and many of the graduating students transfer into 4-year programs elsewhere. If you saw the movie Good Will Hunting, you've seen Bunker Hill - it's the place where Robin Williams' character taught.

Boston Wine School  (Allston, Boston)
For enrichment and pleasure, wine lovers can't go wrong at Boston Wine School, run by wine critic Jonathan Alsop.  Classes such as "Burgers and Bordeaux," "Fine Wine on a Tight Budget," and "A Night in Southern France" combine wine tastings with snacks and in some cases, dinners. Boston Wine School website

Butera School of Art (Back Bay, Boston)
This high-focused commercial art school offers a 3-year commercial art program that focuses on computer graphics, graphic design, and illustration, and a 2-year sign-painting program that prepares students for a sign art career by focusing on computer graphics, truck/van/boat lettering, and airbrush techniques.

Cambridge School of Culinary Arts (Cambridge)
Professional culinary programs and recreational classes in cooking, including an especially strong pastry program, taught by an impressive roster of professional chefs.

Diablo Glass School (Mission Hill, Boston)
This professional glass blowing school offers a wide spectrum of classes ranging from specialized professional training to enrichment classes in glassblowing, flameworking, fused glass, and stained glass.

Gibbs College  (Back Bay, Boston)
Formerly a secretarial training school, Gibbs offers 2-year Business Administration and Office Administration training programs.

New England School of Photography (Fenway, Boston)
Offers 1- and 2-year professional photographer training programs with specializations in areas such as advertising and commercial photography, photojournalism, digital arts, documentary photography, architectural photography, and more.

Quincy College  (Quincy)
A public community college run under the direction of the City of Quincy.  Offers Associate degrees in a wide variety of subjects.

School of Fashion Design (Back Bay, Boston)
Established in 1934, this school offers certificates and diplomas for up to three years of study about fashion design, construction, and production.  A "prep" program is also open to high school students.

Urban College of Boston  (Downtown Boston)
Founded in 1993, this private 2-year college is designed as a "non-traditional, multicultural college" to bridge students from literacy, GED, adult education, and other programs into higher education.  It offers Associate degrees in early childhood education, human services administration, and a few other areas.