Best Boston Four Year Colleges

68 four year colleges near Boston, and 17 within city limits, enrolling 366,272 students across the metro.

Harvard University in Cambridge ranks #4 nationally and leads the Boston area. Boston University enrolls the most students with 37,737 currently taking classes. College Unbound has the lowest tuition at $11,016 per year.

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Boston, MA within 50 miles Public Private For-Profit 4 Year

  • Private 4 Year
  • Cambridge, MA
  • 4.8 | 4 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Harvard is an Ivy League university known for undergraduate economics, government, and the sciences. Most upperclass students live in residential houses that organize dining and social life.

#4 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1510-1580
  • Avg GPA 4.0
  • Acceptance Rate 4%
  • Net Price $17,525
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Cambridge, MA
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

MIT is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and the physical sciences. The compact urban campus sits along the Charles River in Cambridge.

#8 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1520-1580
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.96
  • Acceptance Rate 5%
  • Net Price $20,996
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Providence, RI
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 5 application deadline

Brown is an Ivy League university known for undergraduate economics, computer science, and the biological sciences. Most students design their own path under the Open Curriculum, which has no required core.

#11 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1510-1580
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.94
  • Acceptance Rate 5%
  • Net Price $26,256
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Wellesley, MA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 8 application deadline

Wellesley is a highly selective private women's liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, political science, and the sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in a Boston suburb about twelve miles west of the city.

#18 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1460-1560
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.86
  • Acceptance Rate 14%
  • Net Price $22,174
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Medford, MA
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Tufts is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate international relations and biology. Most undergrads live on a residential hilltop campus in the Boston suburbs of Medford and Somerville.

#6 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1470-1560
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.91
  • Acceptance Rate 11%
  • Net Price $32,367
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Chestnut Hill, MA
  • 5.0 | 5 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Boston College is a highly selective private Jesuit university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and the liberal arts. The residential campus sits in suburban Chestnut Hill just outside Boston.

#7 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1440-1540
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.86
  • Acceptance Rate 16%
  • Net Price $32,519
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boston, MA
  • 3.4 | 11 reviews
  • Jan 4 application deadline

Boston University is a private university known for undergraduate communications, business, and international relations. The urban campus stretches along Commonwealth Avenue beside the Charles River.

#9 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1420-1530
  • Avg GPA 3.79
  • Acceptance Rate 11%
  • Net Price $24,420
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Worcester, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Holy Cross is a highly selective Jesuit liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, political science, and history. The hilltop campus overlooks the city of Worcester.

#10 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1240-1410
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 18%
  • Net Price $36,014
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Waltham, MA
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews

Brandeis is a private university known for undergraduate neuroscience, biology, and the social sciences. The suburban campus in Waltham sits just west of Boston.

#12 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1390-1520
  • Avg GPA 3.84
  • Acceptance Rate 40%
  • Net Price $43,550
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Providence, RI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

RISD is a highly selective private art and design college known for undergraduate fine arts, industrial design, and architecture. The urban Providence campus borders Brown University and offers a dual-degree program with it.

#2 Best Colleges in Rhode Island 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1396-1530
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.71
  • Acceptance Rate 19%
  • Net Price $43,492
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Waltham, MA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Bentley is a private university known for undergraduate business, accounting, and finance. The suburban campus sits in Waltham just west of Boston.

#13 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1280-1430
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
  • Acceptance Rate 45%
  • Net Price $45,802
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Wellesley, MA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 3 application deadline

Babson is a private college known for undergraduate entrepreneurship and business. The suburban campus is in Wellesley near Boston.

#14 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1390-1530
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.79
  • Acceptance Rate 17%
  • Net Price $32,019
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boston, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Simmons is a private women's university known for undergraduate nursing, social work, and health sciences. The urban campus sits in Boston's Fenway neighborhood.

#15 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1220-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.87
  • Acceptance Rate 70%
  • Net Price $28,691
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Providence, RI
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Providence College is a private Dominican Catholic college known for undergraduate business and the liberal arts. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in a Providence neighborhood.

#3 Best Colleges in Rhode Island 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1250-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.47
  • Acceptance Rate 51%
  • Net Price $48,618
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boston, MA
  • 4.7 | 6 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Northeastern is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and health sciences. The urban campus sits in Boston's Fenway neighborhood.

#16 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1440-1540
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.91
  • Acceptance Rate 5%
  • Net Price $34,207
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Worcester, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Clark is a private university known for undergraduate psychology and geography. The compact urban campus sits in Worcester, west of Boston.

#17 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1288-1460
  • Avg GPA 3.69
  • Acceptance Rate 40%
  • Net Price $33,865
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Norton, MA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Feb 15 application deadline

Wheaton is a private liberal arts college known for its interdisciplinary Connections curriculum and frequent dual majors. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the small town of Norton southeast of Boston.

#18 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1220-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.48
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $30,701
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boston, MA
  • | 0 reviews

MCPHS is a private university known for undergraduate pharmacy, nursing, and health sciences. The urban campus sits in Boston's Longwood Medical Area.

#19 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1160-1416
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 85%
  • Net Price $41,506
Details