Top 50 Best Doctoral Degree Programs in Massachusetts by ROI

Every Doctoral Degree program in Massachusetts ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Massachusetts

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$583,200

Across all Massachusetts programs

Average Annual Cost

$59,962

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Tufts University Grad rate: 93.5%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,169,460	$167,393	$84,600	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Harvard University Grad rate: 97.5%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,098,872	$163,512	$82,842	N/A	Full ROI →
3	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Grad rate: 95.5%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$1,500,340	$132,987	$79,850	N/A	Full ROI →
4	Boston College Grad rate: 91.0%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$1,355,088	$126,491	$83,683	N/A	Full ROI →
5	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Grad rate: 95.5%	Mechanical Engineering.	+$1,329,100	$124,425	$79,850	N/A	Full ROI →
6	University of Massachusetts-Boston Grad rate: 51.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,312,488	$113,564	$29,698	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Endicott College Grad rate: 76.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,186,328	$112,823	$57,533	N/A	Full ROI →
8	University of Massachusetts-Amherst Grad rate: 83.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,138,004	$105,578	$33,389	N/A	Full ROI →
9	Harvard University Grad rate: 97.5%	Education, General.	+$976,412	$107,389	$82,842	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Harvard University Grad rate: 97.5%	Public Policy Analysis.	+$939,292	$105,533	$82,842	N/A	Full ROI →
11	University of Massachusetts-Lowell Grad rate: 70.6%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$861,116	$90,960	$29,521	N/A	Full ROI →
12	Harvard University Grad rate: 97.5%	Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.	+$855,612	$101,349	$82,842	N/A	Full ROI →
13	University of Massachusetts-Boston Grad rate: 51.1%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$851,848	$90,532	$29,698	N/A	Full ROI →
14	University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School	Biology, General.	+$759,100	$79,955	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
15	William James College	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$732,540	$78,627	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
16	American International College Grad rate: 39.8%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$651,288	$85,657	$55,463	N/A	Full ROI →
17	University of Massachusetts-Amherst Grad rate: 83.1%	Education, General.	+$625,844	$79,970	$33,389	N/A	Full ROI →
18	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Grad rate: 95.5%	Chemistry.	+$578,440	$86,892	$79,850	N/A	Full ROI →
19	University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School	Medicine.	+$566,380	$70,319	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
20	Harvard University Grad rate: 97.5%	Public Health.	+$565,952	$86,866	$82,842	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Lesley University Grad rate: 61.6%	Education, General.	+$563,416	$80,016	$49,226	N/A	Full ROI →
22	University of Massachusetts-Lowell Grad rate: 70.6%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$513,476	$73,578	$29,521	N/A	Full ROI →
23	American International College Grad rate: 39.8%	Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.	+$449,188	$75,552	$55,463	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Northeastern University Professional Programs	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$396,340	$61,817	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
25	Springfield College Grad rate: 70.1%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$392,492	$73,213	$57,942	N/A	Full ROI →
26	American International College Grad rate: 39.8%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$380,548	$72,120	$55,463	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Endicott College Grad rate: 76.7%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$360,548	$71,534	$57,533	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Suffolk University Grad rate: 60.1%	Law.	+$351,772	$72,153	$62,822	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Boston University Grad rate: 89.5%	Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.	+$345,344	$75,806	$82,694	N/A	Full ROI →
30	Endicott College Grad rate: 76.7%	Education, Other.	+$330,328	$70,023	$57,533	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Simmons University Grad rate: 73.0%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$307,912	$70,098	$63,512	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Massachusetts School of Law	Law.	+$301,040	$57,052	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
33	Boston University Grad rate: 89.5%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$287,184	$72,898	$82,694	N/A	Full ROI →
34	University of Massachusetts-Boston Grad rate: 51.1%	Special Education and Teaching.	+$256,528	$60,766	$29,698	N/A	Full ROI →
35	University of Massachusetts-Boston Grad rate: 51.1%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$235,988	$59,739	$29,698	N/A	Full ROI →
36	University of Massachusetts-Lowell Grad rate: 70.6%	Psychology, General.	+$226,436	$59,226	$29,521	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Endicott College Grad rate: 76.7%	Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods.	+$222,768	$64,645	$57,533	N/A	Full ROI →
38	University of Massachusetts-Lowell Grad rate: 70.6%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$206,856	$58,247	$29,521	N/A	Full ROI →
39	Harvard University Grad rate: 97.5%	Biology, General.	+$173,152	$67,226	$82,842	N/A	Full ROI →
40	University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Grad rate: 51.8%	Law.	+$141,152	$55,393	$31,677	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Grad rate: 95.5%	Biology, General.	+$117,680	$63,854	$79,850	N/A	Full ROI →
42	Simmons University Grad rate: 73.0%	Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services.	+$26,612	$56,033	$63,512	N/A	Full ROI →
43	Western New England University Grad rate: 65.6%	Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies.	+$20,368	$54,805	$58,933	N/A	Full ROI →
44	Endicott College Grad rate: 76.7%	Special Education and Teaching.	+$15,988	$54,306	$57,533	N/A	Full ROI →
45	Northeastern University Grad rate: 90.8%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	-$52,152	$55,663	$81,353	N/A	Full ROI →
46	Western New England University Grad rate: 65.6%	Law.	-$71,912	$50,191	$58,933	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Boston University Grad rate: 89.5%	Music.	-$142,116	$51,433	$82,694	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.