Public · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Small city

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts. 23,671 undergraduates. Admits 60% of applicants.

81%Graduation rate27 pts above the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$22,857Average net price per year15% above the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$80,486Median earnings 10 years after starting37% above the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$21,500Median debt at graduationAbout the same as the national median for similar colleges
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($21,500) equals 27% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($80,486).

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$10,294
$30,000–$48,000$10,343
$48,001–$75,000$12,020
$75,001–$110,000$17,769
Over $110,000$33,795

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $18,487 in-state, $41,759 out-of-state.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate81%54%
Return for second year92%76%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$66,591$49,318
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$80,486$58,912
Median debt at graduation$21,500$21,609

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).

Programs and what graduates earn

260 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Business Administration, Management and Operations525$138,584$163,052—
Computer Science320$125,872$157,571—
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering62$106,958$140,240—
Human Resources Management and Services21—$129,028—
Accounting and Related Services153$82,340$113,551—
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology19$100,550——
Mechanical Engineering29$95,406——
Public Health82$73,333$91,679—
Civil Engineering24—$90,054—
Natural Resources Conservation and Research23—$86,955—
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods—$71,604$86,031—
Public Policy Analysis30$56,212$85,638—
Data Analytics271$73,486——
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services27—$71,810—
Sustainability Studies14$47,236$70,666—
Geography and Cartography17$68,403——
Education, General3$59,002$64,100—
Architectural Sciences and Technology27$59,069——
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies17$50,700$50,617—
Music21$40,257$45,387—
Nutrition Sciences17$29,827——
Animal Sciences3———
Food Science and Technology12———
Plant Sciences4———
Architecture3———
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning7———
Landscape Architecture13———
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies1———
Communication and Media Studies1———
Educational Administration and Supervision25———
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods69———
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas3———
Education, Other23———
Biomedical/Medical Engineering3———
Chemical Engineering5———
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering7———
Materials Engineering1———
Polymer/Plastics Engineering10———
Industrial Engineering7———
Engineering-Related Fields58———
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services6———
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics4———
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics1———
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics4———
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics5———
English Language and Literature, General3———
Botany/Plant Biology1———
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences15———
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences5———
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology6———
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology24———
Neurobiology and Neurosciences4———
Mathematics1———
Applied Mathematics34———
Statistics11———
Data Science55———
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness24———
Philosophy2———
Astronomy and Astrophysics2———
Chemistry6———
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences10———
Physics15———
Psychology, General10———
Anthropology1———
Economics19———
Political Science and Government8———
Sociology5———
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft4———
Fine and Studio Arts7———
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing18———
History10———

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

Getting in

60%Admission rate
1,423Average SAT of admitted students
30–33ACT middle 50%
17:1Students per faculty member
23%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

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Quick answers

How much does University of Massachusetts-Amherst cost per year?
The average net price at University of Massachusetts-Amherst, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $22,857 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduates earn?
Former University of Massachusetts-Amherst students earn a median of $80,486 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at University of Massachusetts-Amherst?
81% of University of Massachusetts-Amherst students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from University of Massachusetts-Amherst is $21,500. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.