Nursing Schools in Massachusetts (2026)
76 accredited nursing programs found
Massachusetts has 76 nursing-relevant schools in this directory, with 39 public and 37 private institutions. Average in-state tuition is $28,305 — the highest of any large state in this directory — driven by the dense private-university landscape: public schools average $8,833 while private schools average $45,264. The 25th-to-75th-percentile tuition band runs from $6,048 to $46,220, an unusually wide range. The cheapest tracked program is North Shore Community College at $5,352 per year, and the largest by undergraduate enrollment is the University of Massachusetts-Amherst at about 23,694.
Across Massachusetts programs the average graduation rate is 55.5 percent and the average retention rate is 73.5 percent. Median post-graduation earnings average $53,874 — among the highest of any state — and median federal debt at graduation averages $18,981. The state's exceptional concentration of academic medical centers, including Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey, and Boston Children's, supplies one of the strongest employment markets in the country for newly licensed RNs.
Registered Nurse Market in Massachusetts
BLS wage and employment data for registered nurses
Registered Nurse Salary in Massachusetts
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024
Matches the Massachusetts average of $28,305.
Matches the Massachusetts average of 55.5%.
Matches the Massachusetts median of $53,874.
Tuition Overview
| Avg Public Tuition | $8,833 |
| Lowest Tuition | $5,352 |
| Highest Tuition | $67,844 |
| Avg Private Tuition | $45,264 |
Student Outcomes
| Avg Graduation Rate | 55.5% |
| Avg Earnings After Grad | $60,004 |
| Avg Student Debt | $18,981 |
| Total Enrollment | 238,767 |
Highest Graduation Rates in Massachusetts
All Nursing Schools in Massachusetts
| Institution | City | Type | Tuition (In-State) | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Amherst | Public | $17,357 | 23,694 |
| Boston University | Boston | Private | $65,168 | 17,850 |
| Northeastern University | Boston | Private | $63,141 | 15,719 |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston | Boston | Public | $15,496 | 11,848 |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Lowell | Public | $16,570 | 11,632 |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill | Private | $67,680 | 9,865 |
| Bridgewater State University | Bridgewater | Public | $11,389 | 7,899 |
| Berklee College of Music | Boston | Private | $50,270 | 7,510 |
| Bunker Hill Community College | Boston | Public | $5,520 | 7,322 |
| Tufts University | Medford | Private | $67,844 | 6,804 |
| Quinsigamond Community College | Worcester | Public | $5,974 | 5,413 |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | North Dartmouth | Public | $15,208 | 5,289 |
| Bristol Community College | Fall River | Public | $5,412 | 5,073 |
| Middlesex Community College | Bedford | Public | $6,048 | 4,658 |
| Bentley University | Waltham | Private | $58,150 | 4,288 |
| Salem State University | Salem | Public | $11,978 | 4,286 |
| Emerson College | Boston | Private | $55,392 | 4,145 |
| North Shore Community College | Danvers | Public | $5,352 | 4,055 |
| Merrimack College | North Andover | Private | $51,786 | 4,043 |
| Springfield Technical Community College | Springfield | Public | $5,520 | 3,965 |
| Worcester State University | Worcester | Public | $11,286 | 3,963 |
| Massasoit Community College | Brockton | Public | $5,376 | 3,699 |
| Westfield State University | Westfield | Public | $11,882 | 3,481 |
| MCPHS University | Boston | Private | $38,850 | 3,474 |
| Northern Essex Community College | Haverhill | Public | $5,688 | 3,350 |
| Holyoke Community College | Holyoke | Public | $5,810 | 3,164 |
| Massachusetts Bay Community College | Wellesley Hills | Public | $5,616 | 3,156 |
| Endicott College | Beverly | Private | $39,212 | 3,101 |
| Fitchburg State University | Fitchburg | Public | $11,046 | 2,825 |
| Framingham State University | Framingham | Public | $11,630 | 2,556 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Gardner | Public | $6,000 | 2,554 |
| Western New England University | Springfield | Private | $46,430 | 2,508 |
| Stonehill College | Easton | Private | $54,500 | 2,477 |
| Cape Cod Community College | West Barnstable | Public | $5,712 | 2,223 |
| Quincy College | Quincy | Public | $7,536 | 2,126 |
| Springfield College | Springfield | Private | $43,707 | 1,916 |
| Emmanuel College | Boston | Private | $46,686 | 1,874 |
| Curry College | Milton | Private | $46,220 | 1,757 |
| Simmons University | Boston | Private | $45,538 | 1,750 |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | Norton | Private | $62,080 | 1,744 |
| Assumption University | Worcester | Private | $49,414 | 1,664 |
| Roxbury Community College | Roxbury Crossing | Public | $5,784 | 1,583 |
| Lesley University | Cambridge | Private | $32,780 | 1,252 |
| Greenfield Community College | Greenfield | Public | $5,810 | 1,232 |
| Bay Path University | Longmeadow | Private | $37,227 | 1,186 |
| Lasell University | Newton | Private | $26,000 | 1,152 |
| Dean College | Franklin | Private | $44,960 | 1,142 |
| Fisher College | Boston | Private | $35,013 | 1,138 |
| Berkshire Community College | Pittsfield | Public | $5,612 | 1,100 |
| American International College | Springfield | Private | $42,970 | 1,097 |
| Regis College | Weston | Private | $47,770 | 1,061 |
| College of Our Lady of the Elms | Chicopee | Private | $42,061 | 951 |
| Anna Maria College | Paxton | Private | $43,064 | 948 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | North Adams | Public | $11,884 | 748 |
| Laboure College of Healthcare | Milton | Private | $33,663 | 717 |
| Cambridge College | Boston | Private | $18,072 | 591 |
| Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology | Boston | Private | $18,906 | 412 |
| Motoring Technical Training Institute | Seekonk | For-Profit | N/A | 328 |
| Jupiter Beauty Academy | Boston | For-Profit | N/A | 207 |
| Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing | Medford | Private | $28,617 | 195 |
| Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of Nursing | Brockton | Private | N/A | 152 |
| Southeastern Technical Institute | South Easton | Public | N/A | 140 |
| MGH Institute of Health Professions | Boston | Private | N/A | 112 |
| Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School | Bourne | Public | N/A | 77 |
| Greater Lowell Technical School | Tyngsboro | Public | N/A | 77 |
| Tri County Regional Vocational Technical High School | Franklin | Public | N/A | 64 |
| Diman Regional Technical Institute | Fall River | Public | N/A | 56 |
| Bancroft School of Massage Therapy | Worcester | For-Profit | N/A | 51 |
| Assabet Valley Regional Technical School | Marlborough | Public | N/A | 48 |
| Charles H McCann Technical School | North Adams | Public | N/A | 45 |
| Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District | Upton | Public | N/A | 40 |
| Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District | Charlton | Public | N/A | 39 |
| Blue Hills Regional Technical School | Canton | Public | N/A | 38 |
| Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing | Billerica | Public | N/A | 35 |
| Monty Tech | Fitchburg | Public | N/A | 33 |
| New England College of Optometry | Boston | Private | N/A | N/A |
Nursing Schools by City in Massachusetts
Nursing Guides & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nursing schools are in Massachusetts?
What is the average nursing school tuition in Massachusetts?
What is the average graduation rate for nursing schools in Massachusetts?
What is the average retention rate in Massachusetts?
What do graduates from nursing schools in Massachusetts earn?
What is the average student debt at nursing schools in Massachusetts?
How much do registered nurses earn in Massachusetts?
What is the RN job outlook for Massachusetts?
Massachusetts Nursing Market Context
BLS data for Massachusetts shows an RN median annual wage of $99,770 and a mean of $104,150 — among the highest in the country. The 10th to 90th percentile range runs from $71,010 to $142,790. Statewide RN employment is approximately 83,700 and the projected growth rate is 5 percent.
Median program debt of $18,981 against a $99,770 RN median wage produces a comfortable payback profile, even though Massachusetts tuition is the highest in this group: high wages absorb the higher cost basis. The 10th-percentile figure of $71,010 is well above the national median, meaning even early-career Massachusetts RNs typically out-earn the median nurse nationwide. The 90th-percentile figure of $142,790 reflects what experienced specialty and academic-medical-center nurses reach. The tradeoff, as in California and New York, is housing cost in the Boston metro, which captures a meaningful share of the wage advantage relative to lower-cost states.