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Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Boston, MA · City · 1,831 students
WebsiteCommon AppScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$24,100
Average net priceYour net price
In-state · 2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
69%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
63% typical
$43,582
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$39,254 typical
76%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
64% typical · not scored
Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education
About

Founded in 1873, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) holds the distinction of being the first and only independent, publicly funded college of art and design in the United States. The institution is renowned for its immersive studio-based curriculum, offering highly regarded degree programs in animation, industrial design, illustration, graphic design, and traditional fine arts such as glassworking and ceramics. Located in Boston’s Fenway cultural district, MassArt fosters a close-knit, socially conscious, and intensely creative campus culture where students have extensive access to professional-grade studios and nearby cultural institutions like the Museum of Fine Arts. Additionally, students benefit from expanded academic offerings, shared campus facilities, and cross-registration opportunities through the college's membership in the five-institution Colleges of the Fenway consortium.

Wikipedia:Massachusetts College of Art and Design, branded as MassArt, is a public college of visual and applied art in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1873, it is one of the nation's oldest art schools, and the only publicly funded independent art school in the United States. It was the first art college in the United States to grant an artistic degree.

Location
Boston, MA, 02115-5882 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
BOS · Boston
5 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$15,400$43,400
Housing & food (on campus)$19,412$19,412
Books & supplies$2,000$2,000
Cost of attendance$34,239$70,012
Average net price$24,100Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$43,400
In-state: $15,400
Housing & food (on campus)$19,412
Books & supplies$2,000
Cost of attendance$70,012
In-state: $34,239
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $24,100
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: massart.edu
How it’s made up · out-of-state, 2026-27
Massachusetts College of Art and Design’s own figures for 2026-2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.
Tuition$45,820
Books & supplies$2,000
Personal expenses$2,242
Transportation$810
Total published by the school$70,012
Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24
$0–30k
$16,351
$30–48k
$17,636
$48–75k
$18,513
$75–110k
$26,265
$110k+
$31,882
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
69%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
48%
Back for yr 2
89%
Transferred
0%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
71% graduated · 15% transferred · 13% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$27,090
10 yrs after entry$43,582
Debt
Median at graduation$25,755
Monthly payment$273
Middle 50% owe$11k–$27k
90th percentile$33,772
Green marks a figure above the typical Special focus — arts, music & design: 63% graduate within 6 yrs, $39,254 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
76%
Test policy
Not required
Per College Scorecard

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Essay prompts

If Massachusetts College of Art and Design asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 25%Women 75%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
9 : 1
Pell grant
30%
First-gen
23%
Family income
$68,352
Independent
11%
Age at entry
20.0
Part-time
8%
Race & ethnicity
White
55%
Hispanic
16%
Black
4%
Asian
6%
Two or more
5%
Non-resident
3%
Unknown
11%
Varsity sports

No data. This school isn't in the U.S. Department of Education's athletics (EADA) file, so we can't list its teams. That doesn't mean it has none.

Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$27,090
After 10 yrs
$43,582
Design and Applied Arts129
Film/Video and Photographic Arts91
Fine and Studio Arts79
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication37
Architectural Sciences and Technology16
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas16
Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry3
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$20M
Full-time faculty
99%
Faculty salary
$10,690/mo
Teaching spend
$16,343
per student
Federal loans
51%
Classification
Carnegie type
Special focus — arts, music & design
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, selective admissions

Wondering if Massachusetts College of Art and Design is the right fit for you?

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