Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Boston, Massachusetts. It enrolls 1,831 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
62/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes77
Value13
Affordability37
Selectivity50
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 76.3%, Massachusetts College of Art and Design is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
76.3%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Massachusetts College of Art and Design is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
19.6 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Massachusetts College of Art and Design isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $24,100 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$24,100
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
51%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$15,400
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$43,400
Room & Board (on-campus)
$19,412
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,960
Books & Supplies
$2,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,108
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,108
Total Cost of Attendance
$34,239
Application fee: $70 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$16,351
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,636
$48,001 – $75,000
$18,513
$75,001 – $110,000
$26,265
Over $110,000
$31,882
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,50010%percentile
$11,01825%percentile
$25,755Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$33,77290%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $22,750
↓ $3,005
No Pell $16,375
↓ $9,380
Dependent students $19,500
↓ $6,255
Independent students $19,000
↓ $6,755
Female students $19,500
↓ $6,255
Male students $19,151
↓ $6,604
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($25,755), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
67% of full-time students who enrolled at Massachusetts College of Art and Design graduate within six years, and 87% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
67%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
87%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Massachusetts College of Art and Design earn a median of $43,582 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,582
Earning > $25K
68%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$39,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$42,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$38,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
5.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 75% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Massachusetts College of Art and Design is home to 1,831 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,831
Part-Time
8%
First-Generation
23%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 54.6%999
Hispanic 15.5%284
Asian 5.9%108
Other 5.5%101
Black 4.5%82
International 3.4%63
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityBoston, Massachusetts
Housing
Mostly residential940 beds on campus
Adult Learners
11%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Massachusetts College of Art and Design offers
a varied set of programs:
13 distinct programs across
4 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Massachusetts College of Art and Design is 9:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
9:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$14,808
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$19M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$91,495
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
113 instructional faculty across 3 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
54
48%
$110,894
Associate Professors
29
26%
$81,502
Assistant Professors
30
27%
$66,237
Pros & Cons of Massachusetts College of Art and Design
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Massachusetts College of Art and Design tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Above-average graduation rate
Strong first-year retention
CONS
Above-average net price
Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
Best for:
Based on the data, Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Is Massachusetts College of Art and Design hard to get into?
Massachusetts College of Art and Design has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 76.3%.
What is the acceptance rate at Massachusetts College of Art and Design?
Massachusetts College of Art and Design has an acceptance rate of 76.3%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Massachusetts College of Art and Design cost?
The average net price after aid at Massachusetts College of Art and Design is $24,100 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Massachusetts College of Art and Design worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $43,582 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $24,100 per year. That's roughly 1.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Massachusetts College of Art and Design known for?
Massachusetts College of Art and Design is best known for its programs in Design, Film & Video Production, Fine Arts. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Massachusetts College of Art and Design graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Massachusetts College of Art and Design are $43,582, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Massachusetts College of Art and Design accredited?
Yes. Massachusetts College of Art and Design is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Massachusetts College of Art and Design?
Massachusetts College of Art and Design enrolls 1,831 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Massachusetts College of Art and Design?
Massachusetts College of Art and Design graduates 67% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Massachusetts College of Art and Design a public or private college?
Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a Public institution.
Where is Massachusetts College of Art and Design located?
Massachusetts College of Art and Design is located in Boston, Massachusetts.
What programs does Massachusetts College of Art and Design offer?
Massachusetts College of Art and Design offers 13 distinct programs. The most popular include Design, Film & Video Production, Fine Arts.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Massachusetts College of Art and Design?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Massachusetts College of Art and Design is 9:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Massachusetts
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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