President Dr. Mary K. Grant | Massachusetts College of Art and Design
President Dr. Mary K. Grant | Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Data shows that students paid $42,014 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $1,522 more than the previous school year.
Among the 24 institutions providing full disclosure in the county, Boston University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $62,360. Northeastern University followed with an average of $60,192 per year. Bunker Hill Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $5,334.
At the time, at least $368.8 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Suffolk County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $73.4 million.
Currently there are 27 higher education institutions in Suffolk County, including Simmons University, Jupiter Beauty Academy, and Northeastern University.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 27 institutions in Suffolk County, three did not provide detailed data on tuition fees, including Saint John's Seminary, Northeastern University Professional Programs, and MGH Institute of Health Professions.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology | 117 | $1,274,999 | $10,897 | 83 | $445,131 | $5,363 |
| MCPHS University | 723 | $16,086,363 | $22,249 | 510 | $6,453,041 | $12,653 |
| North Bennet Street School | 10 | $151,955 | $15,196 | 8 | $93,410 | $11,676 |
| Urban College of Boston | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| The New England Conservatory of Music | 41 | $1,161,380 | $28,326 | 11 | $71,491 | $6,499 |
| Boston Architectural College | 13 | $124,637 | $9,587 | 11 | $195,352 | $17,759 |
| Cambridge College | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Simmons University | 391 | $13,244,758 | $33,874 | 245 | $2,047,109 | $8,356 |
| Suffolk University | 1,234 | $36,560,255 | $29,627 | 780 | $7,999,328 | $10,256 |
| Roxbury Community College | 90 | $394,374 | $4,382 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 322 | $3,562,929 | $11,065 | 259 | $2,780,137 | $10,734 |
| Berklee College of Music | 1,029 | $22,213,301 | $21,587 | 498 | $7,355,128 | $14,769 |
| Saint John's Seminary | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Boston University | 1,804 | $99,364,676 | $55,080 | 770 | $9,033,784 | $11,732 |
| Boston Baptist College | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston | 2,035 | $25,664,104 | $12,611 | 1,373 | $10,267,481 | $7,478 |
| MGH Institute of Health Professions | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Fisher College | 189 | $4,709,252 | $24,917 | 171 | $1,037,605 | $6,068 |
| Emerson College | 781 | $20,654,867 | $26,447 | 502 | $5,698,205 | $11,351 |
| Northeastern University | 1,831 | $85,247,183 | $46,558 | 991 | $8,946,288 | $9,028 |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Jupiter Beauty Academy | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Bunker Hill Community College | 608 | $4,372,021 | $7,191 | 66 | $299,365 | $4,536 |
| Emmanuel College | 568 | $17,509,759 | $30,827 | 378 | $3,989,283 | $10,554 |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology | 830 | $16,397,495 | $19,756 | 547 | $6,584,248 | $12,037 |
| Hellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Empire Beauty School-Boston | 19 | $112,070 | $5,898 | 13 | $99,500 | $7,654 |
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