More selective than 64% of Massachusetts colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $34,549. College Scorecard.
Higher than 73% of Massachusetts colleges we cover and 92% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 64% of Massachusetts colleges we cover and 87% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Massachusetts-Amherst acceptance rate & admissions
Of 50,424 applicants, University of Massachusetts-Amherst admitted 29,129 and 5,286 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1310–1500 on the SAT or 30–33 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Massachusetts-Amherst tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Massachusetts residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What University of Massachusetts-Amherst costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Massachusetts-Amherst took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Massachusetts. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,164 | $41,672 | 1.3 years |
| $30–48k | $10,456 | $42,870 | 1.4 years |
| $48–75k | $12,932 | $53,021 | 1.7 years |
| $75–110k | $18,964 | $77,752 | 2.4 years |
| $110k+ | $30,793 | $126,251 | 4.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (76% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($71,631) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $31,751 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst majors, earnings & careers
University of Massachusetts-Amherst offers 73 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 18
- Humanities & Languages · 14
- Engineering · 10
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Business & Finance · 6
- Health & Medicine · 6
- Arts & Design · 4
- Technology & Computing · 4
- Communications & Media · 2
- Education · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Massachusetts-Amherst
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $123,519 | $23,569 |
| Computer Engineering | $113,083 | $27,000 |
| Electrical Engineering | $101,091 | $27,000 |
| Accounting | $100,516 | $23,250 |
| Chemical Engineering | $97,990 | $27,000 |
| Industrial Engineering | $97,791 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $96,999 | $27,000 |
| Finance | $96,995 | $23,250 |
Quick list of all 73 majors
- Accounting$100,516
- Agricultural Production Operations$42,520
- Agriculture / Veterinary Preparatory Programs$57,461
- Animal Sciences$59,543
- Anthropology$31,186
- Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services—
- Architectural Sciences and Technology$93,156
- Area Studies—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biochemistry$77,853
- Biological and Physical Sciences—
- Biology$72,726
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Business Administration$92,623
- Chemical Engineering$97,990
- Chemistry$78,373
- Civil Engineering$88,076
- Classics—
- Communications$60,891
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other—
- Computer Engineering$113,083
- Computer Science$123,519
- Dance—
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics$80,434
- Education—
- Electrical Engineering$101,091
- English$48,475
- Environmental Design$55,571
- Environmental Science / Conservation$54,215
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Finance$96,995
- Food Science and Technology$77,771
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- History$56,597
- Hospitality Management$70,916
- Industrial Engineering$97,791
- Journalism$52,011
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$73,238
- Landscape Architecture$64,477
- Legal Studies / Paralegal$69,269
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$73,242
- Linguistics—
- Linguistics and Computer Science—
- Marketing$86,299
- Mathematics$83,338
- Mathematics and Computer Science—
- Mechanical Engineering$96,999
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$66,642
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$63,383
- Music—
- Nursing$90,309
- Nutrition Science$63,019
- Philosophy—
- Physics$72,596
- Physiology$74,422
- Plant Sciences$51,912
- Political Science$60,726
- Psychology$51,274
- Public Health$63,854
- Public Policy Analysis—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences, Other—
- Sociology$56,960
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$63,620
- Studio Art$46,027
- Sustainability Studies—
- Theatre—
- Veterinary / Animal Health Technologies / Technicians$59,298
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Amherst Town
Overall prices in the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,034. Housing costs 2% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 47 inches of rain a year, 37 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Hampshire County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Hampshire County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Massachusetts-Amherst with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Massachusetts by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 60% | $22,383 | 83% | $71,631 | This school |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 83% | $17,163 | 65% | $64,874 | |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 76% | $24,100 | 69% | $43,582 | |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston | 84% | $17,707 | 49% | $65,865 | |
| Westfield State University | 81% | $16,721 | 54% | $57,346 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Massachusetts-Amherst would cost you $5,220 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Lowell, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Massachusetts-Amherst, mostly from more University of Massachusetts-Lowell students living at home, which lowers its average (+$3,642).
- University of Massachusetts-Lowell gives aided families $1,457 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Massachusetts resident | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $17,772 | $16,966 | +$806 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $1,200 | −$200 |
| Housing & meals | $14,869 | $15,424 | −$555 |
| Personal & travel | $1,440 | $1,370 | +$70 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$532 | −$4,174 | +$3,642 |
| Sticker price | $34,549 | $30,786 | +$3,763 |
| Average grants | −$12,166 | −$13,623 | +$1,457 |
| You pay | $22,383 | $17,163 | +$5,220 |
“+” means University of Massachusetts-Amherst costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Massachusetts-Amherst
What is the University of Massachusetts-Amherst acceptance rate?
University of Massachusetts-Amherst accepts 60% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 29,129 of 50,424 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1310–1500 on the SAT or 30–33 on the ACT.
How much does University of Massachusetts-Amherst cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $34,549 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $22,383 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $10,164 and families earning $110k+ pay $30,793.
How much do University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduates earn?
Former University of Massachusetts-Amherst students earn a median $71,631 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduation rate?
83% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 92% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Massachusetts-Amherst degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Massachusetts-Amherst costs about $53,021 after grants ($12,932 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $71,631 ten years after starting, $31,751 more than high school graduates in Massachusetts ($39,880), so the cost is repaid in 1.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is University of Massachusetts-Amherst the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Massachusetts-Amherst: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-massachusetts-amherst (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).