The Best Bachelor's in Finance Programs in Massachusetts for 2027
Key Points: Best Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts
- Boston College ranks #1 in Massachusetts on a 96.5 Program Score, with a 91% graduation rate.
- Private schools hold most of the places on this list.
- Cost and quality are not opposites here: the lowest-tuition program on the list, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, ranks #3.
- Programs analyzed
- 11
- In-state tuition range
- $17,006-$69,400
- Average graduation rate
- 77%
- Median salary (BLS)
- $88,870
The best finance programs in Massachusetts span a tuition range of $17,006 to $69,400 a year, and the sticker price alone tells you almost nothing about which school will actually get you licensed, hired, and paid. We analyzed 11 finance degree programs in Massachusetts on graduation rate, selectivity, cost, and outcomes data pulled from IPEDS, and the average graduation rate across them is 77 percent, a number that separates programs turning tuition into a job offer from programs that do not.
Cost is not destiny. University of Massachusetts-Amherst charges $17,006 in-state, the cheapest strong-value option in this ranking, and still posts an 83% graduation rate with a Program Score of 93.3, third overall among these 11 schools. Boston College sits at the other end, $69,400 a year, with a 91% graduation rate and the top score in the state, 96.5. Between those two poles sit nine more schools offering a finance degree in Massachusetts, private and public, each with its own tradeoff between price and outcome.
This guide breaks down what a finance degree actually costs in Massachusetts, where the CFA charter and FINRA licensing fit into a career plan, why accreditation matters when comparing a bachelor of finance from one school to another, and which of these schools deliver the strongest return once graduation rate and price are weighed together.
The Top Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts at a Glance
Boston College leads at 96.5, and Regis College closes the chart at 78.8. Longer bars rank higher.
How the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts Are Scored
Each Program Score runs from 0 to 100: outcomes count for 44%, selectivity and academics for 38%, and scale and value for 18%, all from federal data. See how the weights work.
The 11 Best Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts, Ranked for 2027
The 11 best Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts, ranked by outcomes.
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 91%
- Admit rate
- 16%
- In-state
- $69,400
- Out-of-state
- $69,400
Boston College admits just 16% of applicants and graduates 91% of them, backing the highest Program Score in Massachusetts at 96.5.
- 16% admit rate, most selective in this ranking
- 91% graduation rate
- $69,400 flat tuition (in-state = out-of-state)
- Program Score 96.5, #1 in Massachusetts
Boston College's Seidner Department of Finance, housed in the Carroll School of Management, runs a six-course concentration built on four required core classes: Financial Accounting, Fundamentals of Finance, Corporate Finance, and Investments. Students add two electives from a list spanning Derivatives and Risk Management, Investment Banking, Fixed Income Analysis, Behavioral Finance, Data Analytics in Finance, and FinTech and Cryptocurrencies. A parallel finance minor is open to non-Carroll students, and the department extends into an M.S. in Finance and a Ph.D. in Finance. U.S. News and World Report has ranked the undergraduate program among the nation's top 10, according to the school's own page.
The numbers back that reputation. Boston College graduates 91% of its students while admitting only 16% of applicants, the tightest funnel among the four Massachusetts finance programs in this ranking. Tuition runs a flat $69,400 whether a student is from Massachusetts or out of state. That 91% completion rate against a 16% admit rate drives a Program Score of 96.5, the highest of the four programs here, and points this program at students who can clear a highly competitive admissions bar and want direct access to CFA-aligned, quant-heavy electives like Data Analytics in Finance.
Bentley University
Waltham, MA · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 87%
- Admit rate
- 45%
- In-state
- $61,000
- Out-of-state
- $61,000
Bentley University's finance major posts an 87% graduation rate and a 45% admit rate, with a Program Score of 93.4, second only to Boston College among Massachusetts finance programs.
- 45% admit rate
- 87% graduation rate
- $61,000 flat tuition
- Program Score 93.4, #2 in Massachusetts
Bentley University's finance major, which the school says the Bachelor's Degree Center named the top bachelor's finance degree in the country, splits into four concentrations: Capital Markets, Corporate Finance, Financial Planning, and Sustainable Investing. Select, high-performing students can apply for an accelerated track that folds a master's degree into the same four years. The Bentley Investment Group, a student-run fund that manages a portion of the university's endowment, gives finance majors hands-on stock selection and risk management experience alongside coursework such as Sustainable, Responsible, and Impact Investing.
Bentley graduates 87% of its students and admits 45% of applicants, a far wider door than Boston College's 16%. Tuition is a flat $61,000 regardless of residency. That mix produces a Program Score of 93.4, second in Massachusetts behind Boston College's 96.5 and just ahead of UMass Amherst's 93.3, making Bentley the fit for students who want a nationally recognized finance degree with a realistic shot at admission and a built-in accelerated master's option.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA · Public
- Grad rate
- 83%
- Admit rate
- 60%
- In-state
- $17,006
- Out-of-state
- $39,683
University of Massachusetts-Amherst charges in-state finance majors $17,006 a year against $39,683 out-of-state, a $22,677 gap, while still posting a 93.3 Program Score, a fraction behind Bentley's 93.4.
- 60% admit rate, most accessible among the top 3
- $17,006 in-state vs $39,683 out-of-state, a $22,677 gap
- 83% graduation rate
- Program Score 93.3
University of Massachusetts-Amherst's Isenberg School of Management runs its finance major through three concentrations: Corporate Finance, Financial Analyst, and Alternative Investments. The Financial Analyst track is part of the CFA Institute Affiliation Program, and the Alternative Investments track is an academic partner with CAIA, the Chartered Alternative Investments Analyst body. Finance majors work on twelve Bloomberg terminals donated by Babson Capital, can add a three-course Real Estate Certificate carrying Massachusetts salesperson pre-licensure credit and Argus certification training, and intern at firms including JPMorgan, State Street, Fidelity Investments, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and John Hancock.
As a public flagship, UMass Amherst charges finance majors $17,006 a year in-state versus $39,683 out-of-state, a $22,677 annual gap that lets Massachusetts residents pay a fraction of Boston College's or Bentley's flat private tuition. The program graduates 83% of its students and admits 60% of applicants, the widest door among these four schools. That mix, across an enrollment of 31,726, still earns a Program Score of 93.3, trailing Bentley by one-tenth of a point, making this the pick for in-state students who want CFA- and CAIA-aligned training without private-school pricing.
Endicott College
Beverly, MA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 76%
- Admit rate
- 71%
- In-state
- $39,750
- Out-of-state
- $39,750
Endicott College builds a 12-credit, full-semester internship into the finance degree at a flat $39,750 tuition and a 71% admit rate, the most accessible in this group.
- 71% admit rate, most accessible in this group
- 76% graduation rate
- $39,750 flat tuition, lowest of the four
- 12-credit semester-long internship required senior year
Endicott College's B.S. in Finance, in the School of Business, requires 125 to 126 credits built around embedded internships: Internship I in year one, Internship II in year two, and a 12-credit Semester Internship in year four alongside a Senior Research project and a Senior Thesis or Senior Capstone. Core coursework covers Corporate Finance, International Finance, and Financial Modeling, and students choose four finance electives from options like Valuation, Options and Futures Trading, Entrepreneurial Finance, and Risk Management. Recent interns have placed at Fidelity, Wellington, Ernst & Young, KPMG, State Street, and Travelers.
Endicott graduates 76% of its students and admits 71% of applicants, the most accessible admit rate of the four Massachusetts programs in this ranking. Tuition is a flat $39,750, the lowest here: $29,650 a year less than Boston College's $69,400 and $21,250 less than Bentley's $61,000. That combination puts the Program Score at 86.6, fourth among these schools, fitting students who want a guaranteed, paid full-semester internship built into the degree at a lower admissions bar and lower cost than the state's most selective finance programs.
Stonehill College
Easton, MA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 76%
- Admit rate
- 66%
- In-state
- $55,750
- Out-of-state
- $55,750
Stonehill College's Class of 2022 finance majors hit a 98% job-or-grad-school placement rate within six months, with a $65,000 median salary, self-reported by the college.
- AACSB accredited business school
- CFA Institute University Affiliation Program since 2012
- 98% employed or in grad school, Class of 2022
- $65,000 median salary, self-reported by Stonehill
Stonehill College's B.S.B.A. in Finance sits inside the Meehan School of Business, accredited by AACSB International, a designation held by fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide. Students choose among three named pathways: Investment Finance, Corporate Finance, and Public Finance, and can apply to the Skyhawk Investment Group to help manage the real-money Mary Herlihy Opportunity Fund. The program is also part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program, one of the first in the country to earn that status in 2012, meaning at least 70% of the CFA Level I candidate body of knowledge is built into the coursework, alongside Bloomberg certification training.
Stonehill earns a Program Score of 85.2, the No. 5 finance program in Massachusetts on that basis. The underlying numbers back it up: a 76% graduation rate and a 66% admit rate, both more selective and more consistent than most programs in the state. Tuition runs a flat $55,750 whether a student is from Massachusetts or out of state, across an enrollment of 2,674. That price fits a student prioritizing close faculty mentorship and CFA-track prep over the lowest possible sticker cost.
Stonehill's own reporting shows the payoff: 98% of the Class of 2022 finance majors were employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation, with a $65,000 median salary for that cohort, a figure the college tracks and publishes itself rather than a national estimate.
Merrimack College
North Andover, MA · Nonprofit · online option
- Grad rate
- 70%
- Admit rate
- 70%
- In-state
- $49,352
- Out-of-state
- $49,352
Merrimack College finance students help manage over $600,000 in real capital inside the Mucci Capital Markets Lab, and 97% of the Girard School's Class of 2024 landed jobs, service, or further study.
- ACBSP accredited
- $600K+ managed in Mucci Capital Markets Lab
- 97% career outcomes rate, Class of 2024
- Guaranteed co-op/internship
Merrimack College's B.S. in Finance runs through the Girard School of Business, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), with a guaranteed co-op or internship built into the four-year, on-campus track. The signature feature is the Mucci Capital Markets Lab, where students help manage more than $600,000 in real equity, fixed income, and alternative investment funds and can earn Bloomberg certification. Required coursework spans Corporate Finance, Managerial Finance, Portfolio Analysis, and Investments, with electives such as Fintech and Cryptocurrency and a Student Managed Fund course.
The program carries a Program Score of 82, the No. 6 finance program in Massachusetts. Its 70% graduation rate and 70% admit rate make it more accessible than Stonehill, at a flat $49,352 tuition for all 5,862 students, in-state or out. That combination of moderate selectivity and a hands-on trading lab suits a student who wants practical portfolio experience without the highest admit bar in the state.
Merrimack's own program page cites starting salaries around $75,000 and reports a 97% career outcomes rate, meaning employed, in service, in the military, or continuing education, for the Girard School's Class of 2024, with graduates going on to Merrimack's own Master's in Finance or MBA.
Merrimack College
North Andover, MA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 70%
- Admit rate
- 70%
- In-state
- $49,352
- Out-of-state
- $49,352
Merrimack College's financial-planning track pairs a dedicated FIN 4435 Financial Planning course with hands-on management of $600,000+ in the Mucci Capital Markets Lab.
- Dedicated FIN 4435 Financial Planning coursework
- Named personal wealth management career track
- 97% career outcomes rate, Class of 2024
- Guaranteed co-op/internship (Warriors at Work)
This listing captures the financial-planning and wealth-management track inside Merrimack College's B.S. in Finance at the Girard School of Business. The major names personal wealth management as one of three career paths alongside corporate finance and investment banking, and requires FIN 4435 Financial Planning alongside Corporate Finance, Managerial Finance, Portfolio Analysis, and Investments. "Financial Planning" is listed directly among the program's core skills, and students can apply that training inside the Mucci Capital Markets Lab, which manages more than $600,000 in equity, fixed income, and alternative investment funds.
The Program Score here is 81.7, the No. 7 finance program in Massachusetts, just behind Merrimack's general Finance listing. Graduation rate (70%), admit rate (70%), and tuition ($49,352 flat, in-state or out, across 5,862 students) match the broader Finance major, since both draw from the same ACBSP-accredited program. It suits a student set on the planning and wealth-management side of finance specifically, rather than corporate or markets-focused tracks.
Graduates in this cohort share the outcomes Merrimack reports across the major: a 97% career outcomes rate for the Class of 2024 and program-cited starting salaries around $75,000, with a guaranteed internship or co-op, Warriors at Work, built into the degree.
Springfield College
Springfield, MA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 74%
- Admit rate
- 72%
- In-state
- $43,800
- Out-of-state
- $43,800
Springfield College fast-tracks Finance majors into a five-year BS to MBA (3.0 GPA, no extra application) while students manage a live $1,000,000 portfolio in the school's annual stock market challenge.
- IACBE accredited
- Direct-entry 4+1 BS to MBA path (3.0 GPA)
- $1,000,000 student-managed portfolio challenge
- $43,800 tuition, lowest of MA's top 4 finance programs
Springfield College's B.S. in Finance runs through the Department of Business Management, accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), with upper-level courses in investments, money and banking, and financial statement analysis taught in computer labs built around current industry practice. Most students complete an internship, and many take part in the annual stock market challenge, where they invest and manage a $1,000,000 simulated portfolio. A direct-entry MBA 4+1 pathway admits finance majors into Springfield's MBA automatically at a 3.0 GPA, no extra application, finishing the graduate degree in one additional year.
The program posts a Program Score of 81.1, the No. 8 finance program in Massachusetts. Its 74% graduation rate is the highest of these four Massachusetts programs, and its 72% admit rate is the most accessible. Tuition is a flat $43,800 for all 2,599 students, in-state or out, the lowest of the four by a wide margin: $11,950 less than Stonehill and $5,552 less than Merrimack. That combination fits a student who wants a clear five-year path to an MBA without paying a premium for it.
Gordon College
Wenham, MA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 69%
- Admit rate
- 69%
- In-state
- $29,500
- Out-of-state
- $29,500
A B.A. in Finance that lets students sit for Level 1 of the CFA exam before graduation, with preparation aimed at both the CFA and Certified Financial Planner exams.
- Program Score 80.6
- 69% graduation rate
- $29,500 in-state tuition
- Option to sit for CFA Level 1 before graduating
Gordon College's B.A. in Finance is an in-person major in its School of Business. The page says the major draws on foundational and elective courses from both accounting and economics, and extends them to international capital markets and financial institutions, financial planning and control, and capital budgeting. Two electives let students emphasize corporate finance or financial planning. Gordon states that its finance graduates perform very well on the Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner exams, and that students may opt to sit for CFA Level 1 before graduating. The school points to Boston's asset management firms for internships, and its faculty include active executives, accountants and investors. Teaching is framed through a Christian view of stewarding resources. Concentrations and electives let students lean toward corporate finance or financial planning.
Gordon reports a 69% graduation rate and an admit rate of 69%. Tuition is $29,500 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program's Program Score is 80.6 out of 100, the basis of its ranking here. It suits students who want finance training with professional-exam preparation in a small faith-based college.
Regis College
Weston, MA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 72%
- Admit rate
- 70%
- In-state
- $49,680
- Out-of-state
- $49,680
Regis College's BS in Financial Planning qualifies students to sit for the Certified Financial Planner exam.
- 72% graduation rate
- Program Score 78.8
- $49,680 in-state tuition
- CFP exam eligibility
Regis College offers a Bachelor of Science in Financial Planning through its School of Business and Communication. The program builds on business and liberal arts coursework to teach applied financial services skills, and the school says it qualifies students to sit for the Certified Financial Planner examination. Learning outcomes include analyzing a client's short-term and long-term goals, applying local, state and federal tax law to client advice, evaluating the suitability of investment vehicles, and following the CFP Board's code of ethics. Students also cover core business areas such as accounting, management, marketing, economics and finance. Typical positions listed include financial consultant, investment advisor, controller, financial analyst and portfolio advisor, and the degree can lead to graduate study in business. The page notes that some coursework is offered in a hybrid format.
Regis reports a 72% graduation rate and admits about 70% of applicants. In-state tuition is $49,680, matching the out-of-state figure. The program's Program Score is 78.8 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It fits students aiming for client-facing planning or advisory work who want a CFP-eligible path.
Assumption University
Worcester, MA · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 75%
- Admit rate
- 83%
- In-state
- $50,494
- Out-of-state
- $50,494
A finance major with investment and corporate finance tracks, trained in a Bloomberg-equipped trading room.
- 75% graduation rate
- Program Score 77.4
- $50,494 in-state tuition
- Bloomberg trading room
Assumption University's Bachelor of Arts in Finance is housed in the Grenon School of Business and rooted in economics, so students study how financial institutions and capital markets work alongside the quantitative and data analysis skills the field demands. The page describes two tracks within the major: an investment track on investment strategies, and a corporate finance track on managing the financial operations of a business or nonprofit. Students train in the Lagarce Trading Room with Bloomberg terminals and trading simulations, join the student-run Greyhounds Investment Club, and can find internships through the Denecker Career Development and Internship Center. Finance can be a major or a minor, and it pairs easily with economics and accounting.
Federal data show a 75% graduation rate and an 83% admit rate. Tuition is $50,494 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program earned a Program Score of 77.4 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It suits students who want finance grounded in economics and ethics, with room to double major in accounting or economics and head toward corporate finance, investment management or financial planning.
Graduation Rates at the Ranked Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts
The median school on this list graduates 75% of its students. The highest rates belong to Boston College (91%) and Bentley University (87%). The school with the highest rate is also ranked #1.
- #1 Boston College91% graduation rate
- #2 Bentley University87% graduation rate
- #3 University of Massachusetts-Amherst83% graduation rate
Institution-wide graduation rates reported to IPEDS. They describe the whole school, not this program alone.
How Selective Are the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts?
On this list, 2 schools admit fewer than half of applicants, the most selective being Boston College at 16%.
- #1 Boston College16% admitted
- #2 Bentley University45% admitted
- #3 University of Massachusetts-Amherst60% admitted
Institution-wide admit rates for first-time applicants, reported to IPEDS. Open-admission schools do not report one.
Public and Private Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts
This list holds 1 public and 10 private nonprofit schools.
Control (public, private nonprofit, for-profit) as reported to IPEDS. Public schools usually charge residents less; private schools charge everyone the same rate.
Where the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts Are
The 11 ranked schools are spread across 10 cities. North Andover (2) is the only one with more than one ranked school.
Main campus city as reported to IPEDS.
Campus Size Across the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts
Enrollment on this list runs from 1,595 at Gordon College to 31,726 at University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Of the 11, 1 enrolls 20,000 students or more and 6 enroll fewer than 5,000.
Total institution enrollment reported to IPEDS, all levels and programs.
What Graduates of the Finance Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts Earn
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years outEarnings, 4 yrs | Average net priceNet price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Boston CollegeBoston College | $147,746 | $38,930 |
| #2 | Bentley UniversityBentley | $113,795 | $38,969 |
| #3 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstUMass Amherst | $96,995 | $22,857 |
| #4 | Endicott CollegeEndicott College | $98,139 | $39,219 |
| #5 | Stonehill CollegeStonehill College | $93,693 | $36,082 |
| #9 | Gordon CollegeGordon College | $83,184 | $25,227 |
Four years out, medians on this list run from $83,184 at Gordon College to $147,746 at Boston College.
Boston College leads on both counts: the top rank among these schools and the highest graduate pay.
After grants, the average undergraduate pays least at UMass Amherst, $22,857 a year, and most at Endicott College, $39,219.
College Scorecard, October 2026 release. Earnings cover each school's programs in this field at this degree level; net price is for full-time first-time undergraduates receiving aid.
What a Finance Bachelor's Degree Costs in Massachusetts
Tuition among the 11 ranked finance programs in Massachusetts runs from $17,006 to $69,400 a year in-state, a $52,394 gap that compounds fast over four years. At the low end, University of Massachusetts-Amherst totals roughly $68,024 in tuition alone across four years. At the high end, Boston College totals $277,600 over the same span, before room, board, and fees. Multiply either number out and the choice of school is the single biggest lever a Massachusetts finance student controls.
Cost does not track cleanly with quality here. UMass Amherst's $17,006 price tag comes with an 83% graduation rate and a 93.3 Program Score, third among all 11 programs. Endicott College, ranked 4th at 86.6, charges $39,750 a year, $21,250 less than Bentley University's $61,000, for a Program Score only 6.8 points lower than Bentley's. Over four years that gap is $85,000 in tuition alone. For a family comparing two acceptance letters, that is the real ROI question: is the higher-scored private program worth tens of thousands more in sticker price, or does a strong public option like UMass Amherst deliver most of the same outcome for a fraction of the cost.
Every one of these schools reports its own tuition and graduation rate to IPEDS; none share a single "typical" cost, so a prospective student should compare the specific school's number against the $17,006 to $69,400 range rather than lean on an average.
Published annual tuition and required fees reported to IPEDS. Private schools charge one rate regardless of residency; public schools charge non-residents the out-of-state rate shown on each card.
CFA Charter and FINRA Licensing for Massachusetts Finance Graduates
A finance degree gets a Massachusetts graduate in the door; the CFA charter and FINRA licenses determine what that graduate is legally allowed to do once hired. The Chartered Financial Analyst credential, administered by the CFA Institute, requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience, three sequential exams, and 4,000 hours of qualified investment-decision experience. None of the 11 finance programs in Massachusetts in this ranking grant the charter directly; a bachelor of finance from any of them satisfies the education prerequisite and nothing more.
Massachusetts-based brokerage, wealth management, and investment banking roles typically require FINRA-administered licenses on top of the degree: the Series 7 for general securities representatives and the Series 63 for state-level registration to transact business in Massachusetts specifically. Both require sponsorship by a registered firm, so they come after hiring, not before. A finance program that places students in internships at Boston-area banks and asset managers, common among the higher-ranked schools in this list given their location in the Boston financial corridor, shortens the path from degree to sponsored exam sitting.
Students weighing which finance programs to apply to should ask each admissions office directly how many graduates sit for the CFA Level I exam or hold Series 7 and 63 licenses within a year of graduation; that placement data sits outside the IPEDS figures behind the Program Score and varies school to school.
Why Accreditation Matters for a Bachelor of Finance
Business-school accreditation, principally from AACSB, signals that a bachelor of finance meets faculty, curriculum, and outcomes standards that general regional accreditation does not test for. AACSB accredits a small share of business programs worldwide, and employers recruiting for Boston's finance and asset-management sector routinely screen for it. ACBSP is a second recognized accreditor, more common among smaller private colleges, with a lighter research emphasis and a stronger focus on teaching quality.
For the 11 schools scored here, accreditation status is not folded into the Program Score itself, since the score is built from IPEDS graduation, cost, and selectivity data, not accreditor rosters. A prospective student should still verify current accreditation directly through AACSB before enrolling, because status can change and because it affects transfer credit, graduate-school admission, and, in some cases, how a program's curriculum is recognized for CFA-related coursework.
The Top Bachelor's in Finance Programs in Massachusetts
Boston College leads the 11 ranked finance programs in Massachusetts with a Program Score of 96.5, the highest graduation rate in the group at 91%, and private tuition of $69,400. Bentley University follows at 93.4, a school built almost entirely around business and finance coursework, with an 87% graduation rate and $61,000 in-state tuition. University of Massachusetts-Amherst rounds out the top three at 93.3, the only public school to crack the upper tier, and by a wide margin the cheapest at $17,006.
Below the top three, the gap widens. Endicott College (86.6, 76% graduation rate, $39,750) and Stonehill College (85.2, 76%, $55,750) hold the 4th and 5th spots. Merrimack College places in the 6th and 7th positions with two separately scored finance programs, 82.0 and 81.7, both at a 70% graduation rate and $49,352 tuition, the lowest graduation rate among the top eight. Springfield College (81.1), Gordon College (80.6), Regis College (78.8), and Assumption University (77.4) fill out the remaining spots.
The pattern across these finance programs in Massachusetts: every school scoring above 85 is either a large, well-resourced private research university (Boston College), a business-specialist institution (Bentley University), or a public flagship with in-state pricing (UMass Amherst). Below that line, private tuition ranges from $29,500 (Gordon College) to $55,750 (Stonehill College) while graduation rates settle into the 69% to 76% range, a signal that price alone stops buying a better outcome once a program leaves the top tier.
Online and Accelerated Bachelor's in Finance Programs in Massachusetts
Bentley University (93.4, $61,000) and Merrimack College (82.0, $49,352) are the two ranked Massachusetts programs with a confirmed online or distance-education option, which suits working adults and transfer students who cannot follow a traditional four-year campus cohort. They report tuition and scoring data to IPEDS the same way on-campus finance programs do, which is why they sit inside this same ranking rather than a separate list.
An online or hybrid bachelor of finance from a regionally and AACSB-accredited Massachusetts school carries the same transcript weight as the on-campus version, since accreditation attaches to the institution and the degree program, not the delivery format. What an online track will not replicate on its own is proximity to Boston's finance employers; a student choosing online should plan to build internship and networking exposure deliberately, through virtual recruiting events or a short on-campus residency if the program offers one, rather than assume it happens by default.
For working adults already employed in Massachusetts financial services, an accelerated finance degree completed in three years instead of four, common at private colleges running year-round terms, shortens time to a raise or promotion but does not reduce total credit hours, so per-credit cost still tracks the same tuition figures used elsewhere in this ranking.
- #2 Bentley UniversityWaltham, MA
- #6 Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, MA
Based on each school reporting distance-education offerings to IPEDS. Whether this specific degree is fully online varies, so confirm the format with the school.
Finance Careers and Salary Outlook After Graduation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage for financial analysts, the most common landing role for a finance degree, at $88,870 nationally. That figure is not school-specific; it is the same benchmark whether a graduate comes from Boston College or the lowest-ranked program in this list, so it should be read as a market reference to plan around, not a promise any single Massachusetts program makes.
The BLS projects continued demand for financial analysts nationally, driven by growth in investment products and corporate finance functions, detailed in the full BLS Occupational Outlook: Financial Analysts. Massachusetts concentrates a large share of that national demand in Boston's asset-management, banking, and insurance sector, part of why finance programs in Massachusetts, particularly those with strong internship pipelines, show up disproportionately in national placement conversations relative to the state's size.
Wage data broken out by metro area and detailed occupation is available through BLS OEWS wage data, which lets a prospective student compare the national $88,870 median against the specific Boston-area figure before deciding whether a given finance program's tuition, from $17,006 to $69,400 depending on the school, pencils out against realistic local pay.