University of Massachusetts-Boston: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Amherst, Massachusetts · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
University of Massachusetts-Boston is a public university in Amherst, Massachusetts that admits about 58% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $23,691 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Psychology, General, Computer Science and Economics, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 83% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 3.5 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Massachusetts-Boston is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Massachusetts-Boston admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 58%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1393 and an ACT composite around 31. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $23,691 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Massachusetts-Boston is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of Massachusetts-Boston?
University of Massachusetts-Boston admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of Massachusetts-Boston weight in admissions?
University of Massachusetts-Boston reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Class rank
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Work experience
- • Standardized test scores
- • First generation status
- • Volunteer work
- • Interview
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of Massachusetts-Boston typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 650–760, with an EBRW midpoint near 665. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–33. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1330 |
| 50th percentile | 1410 |
| 75th percentile | 1480 |
| % submitting SAT | 22% |
| 25th percentile | 30 |
| 50th percentile | 32 |
| 75th percentile | 33 |
| % submitting ACT | 0.3% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 30% |
| Top 25% of class | 67% |
| Top 50% of class | 94% |
| % submitting class rank | 29% |
How much does University of Massachusetts-Boston actually cost?
Published tuition is $17,357 for in-state students and $39,293 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,869 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $23,691 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 20% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $23,691 |
| Application fee | $85 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Massachusetts-Boston
| Regular deadline | Mid- to late-January |
| Notification date | 15-Jan |
| Reply deadline | 5/1/2025 |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | 5-Nov |
Will my child graduate from University of Massachusetts-Boston?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of Massachusetts-Boston
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Massachusetts-Boston, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Psychology, General, Computer Science and Economics. Across all programs, University of Massachusetts-Boston confers roughly 2,812 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Psychology, General program report a median income of about $62,236 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 547 | $62,236 |
| Computer Science | 391 | $132,046 |
| Economics | 353 | $91,255 |
| Biology, General | 317 | $68,103 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 316 | $57,091 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 305 | $74,087 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 294 | $91,248 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 289 | $98,716 |
Is University of Massachusetts-Boston safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Massachusetts-Boston disclosed 83 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 3.5 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 5 violent offenses and 27 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at University of Massachusetts-Boston?
About 60% of undergraduates at University of Massachusetts-Boston live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 8% of men join a fraternity and 7% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Massachusetts parents ask about
- Harvard University3% acceptance
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology5% acceptance
- Boston University11% acceptance
- Boston College16% acceptance
- Tufts University10% acceptance
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst85% acceptance
- Northeastern University6% acceptance
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute59% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Massachusetts-Boston
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Massachusetts-Boston recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Massachusetts-Boston
What GPA do I need for University of Massachusetts-Boston?
University of Massachusetts-Boston admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Massachusetts-Boston typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 650–760, with an EBRW midpoint near 665. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–33.
How much does University of Massachusetts-Boston actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Massachusetts-Boston after grants and scholarships is $23,691 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Massachusetts-Boston realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Massachusetts-Boston is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Massachusetts-Boston?
University of Massachusetts-Boston accepts about 58% of applicants out of roughly 50,261 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is University of Massachusetts-Boston test-optional?
Yes. University of Massachusetts-Boston is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at University of Massachusetts-Boston?
About 83% of students at University of Massachusetts-Boston graduate within six years, and 76% finish in four years. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Massachusetts-Boston look for in applicants?
University of Massachusetts-Boston rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of Massachusetts-Boston a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Massachusetts-Boston is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts.
What are the most popular majors at University of Massachusetts-Boston?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Massachusetts-Boston by annual graduates are Psychology, General, Computer Science and Economics. The school awards about 2,812 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Massachusetts-Boston safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Massachusetts-Boston reported 83 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 3.5 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at University of Massachusetts-Boston?
At University of Massachusetts-Boston, 60% of undergraduates live on campus, 8% of men are in fraternities, 7% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Massachusetts-Boston, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.