More selective than 30% 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 $30,786. College Scorecard.
Higher than 41% of Massachusetts colleges we cover and 69% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 55% of Massachusetts colleges we cover and 80% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Massachusetts-Lowell acceptance rate & admissions
Of 12,628 applicants, University of Massachusetts-Lowell admitted 10,764 and 2,083 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1180–1370 on the SAT or 25–32 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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-Lowell costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Massachusetts-Lowell took 4.4 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 | $9,943 | $43,451 | 1.7 years |
| $30–48k | $10,199 | $44,570 | 1.8 years |
| $48–75k | $12,141 | $53,056 | 2.1 years |
| $75–110k | $16,460 | $71,930 | 2.9 years |
| $110k+ | $26,139 | $114,227 | 4.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (48% 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 ($64,874) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $24,994 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-Lowell majors, earnings & careers
University of Massachusetts-Lowell offers 48 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 11
- Health & Medicine · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 8
- Science & Math · 8
- Arts & Design · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Business & Finance · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Education · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Massachusetts-Lowell
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians | $120,219 | — |
| Computer Science | $111,612 | $27,000 |
| Electrical Engineering | $101,054 | $27,000 |
| Polymer / Plastics Engineering | $100,428 | $27,000 |
| Computer Engineering | $97,547 | $27,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $94,972 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $94,841 | $27,000 |
| Nursing | $93,650 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 48 majors
- Applied Mathematics—
- Area Studies—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—
- Biology$76,149
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Business Administration$75,859
- Chemical Engineering$94,972
- Chemistry$74,568
- Civil Engineering$83,233
- Civil Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Computer Engineering$97,547
- Computer Science$111,612
- Criminal Justice$66,258
- Economics$76,822
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Electrical Engineering$101,054
- English$54,039
- Environmental Engineering—
- Environmental Science / Conservation$59,783
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- History$55,973
- Information Science / Studies$89,715
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$51,492
- Linguistics—
- Mathematics$72,826
- Mechanical Engineering$94,841
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians$120,219
- Medical Laboratory Science$86,040
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions—
- Music$53,384
- Nursing$93,650
- Nutrition Science$69,604
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution—
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration—
- Philosophy$68,629
- Physical Sciences, Other—
- Physics$91,438
- Political Science$63,584
- Polymer / Plastics Engineering$100,428
- Psychology$57,489
- Public Health$65,429
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences$72,958
- Sociology$55,361
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art$52,637
— 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 →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Boston
Overall prices in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,383. Housing costs 48% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 49 inches of rain a year, 67 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Middlesex County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Middlesex County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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-Lowell | 83% | $17,163 | 65% | $64,874 | This school |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston | 84% | $17,707 | 49% | $65,865 | |
| Bridgewater State University | 88% | $16,383 | 53% | $57,466 | |
| Worcester State University | 88% | $13,381 | 61% | $60,624 | |
| 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-Lowell would cost you $544 less per year than University of Massachusetts-Boston, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Massachusetts-Lowell, mostly from more University of Massachusetts-Boston students living at home, which lowers its average (+$2,768).
- University of Massachusetts-Lowell gives aided families $786 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Massachusetts resident | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | University of Massachusetts-Boston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $16,966 | $15,908 | +$1,058 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,000 | +$200 |
| Housing & meals | $15,424 | $17,512 | −$2,088 |
| Personal & travel | $1,370 | $3,066 | −$1,696 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$4,174 | −$6,942 | +$2,768 |
| Sticker price | $30,786 | $30,544 | +$242 |
| Average grants | −$13,623 | −$12,837 | −$786 |
| You pay | $17,163 | $17,707 | −$544 |
“+” means University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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-Lowell
What is the University of Massachusetts-Lowell acceptance rate?
University of Massachusetts-Lowell accepts 83% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 10,764 of 12,628 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1180–1370 on the SAT or 25–32 on the ACT.
How much does University of Massachusetts-Lowell cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $30,786 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,163 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,943 and families earning $110k+ pay $26,139.
How much do University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates earn?
Former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students earn a median $64,874 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-Lowell graduation rate?
65% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 84% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Massachusetts-Lowell degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Massachusetts-Lowell costs about $53,056 after grants ($12,141 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $64,874 ten years after starting, $24,994 more than high school graduates in Massachusetts ($39,880), so the cost is repaid in 2.1 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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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-Lowell: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-massachusetts-lowell (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).