2023 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts
Today's nursing students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Nursing Degree Search has created its Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. This report analyzed 15 schools in Massachusetts to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for nursing students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Bay State College the best school in Massachusetts for nursing students working on their associate degree. Bay State College is a very small private for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 76 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Bay State College, expect to pay an average of $29,500 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, associate degree students take out $21,802 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Bay State College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2020-2021 year, about 61% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Bunker Hill Community College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. BHCC is located in Boston, Massachusetts and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,125 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at BHCC is $5,280. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,224. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,644 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at BHCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 96% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 15 schools in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Springfield Technical Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. STCC is located in Springfield, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 719 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from Massachusetts pay an average of $5,520 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend STCC. Out-of-state students pay an average of $10,728. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $7,676 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at STCC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 91% took at least some of their classes online.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bristol Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Bristol Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Fall River, Massachusetts that handed out 904 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Massachusetts pay an average of $5,280 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Bristol. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,224. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,022 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Bristol does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 98% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means North Shore Community College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. North Shore Community College is a small public school situated in Danvers, Massachusetts. It awarded 734 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at North Shore Community College is $5,352. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $10,920. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,225 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at North Shore Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 86% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Massasoit Community College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Massasoit Community College is a small public school situated in Brockton, Massachusetts. It awarded 739 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Massasoit Community College is $5,376. Out-of-state students pay an average of $10,320. On average, associate degree students take out $10,174 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Massasoit Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Cape Cod Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts ranking. This small public school is located in West Barnstable, Massachusetts, and it awarded 348 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from Massachusetts who attend Cape Cod Community College full time pay an average of $5,592 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $10,536. On average, associate degree students take out $13,292 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Cape Cod Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 53% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Berkshire Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. BCC is located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 188 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $5,492 in tuition and fees if they attend BCC full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $11,108. On average, associate degree students take out $15,282 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at BCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 69% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Greenfield Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Greenfield Community College is a public institution located in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 168 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Massachusetts pay an average of $5,642 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Greenfield Community College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,762. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,587 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Greenfield Community College. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Roxbury Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Roxbury Community College is located in Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 133 associate degrees to qualified students.
Students from Massachusetts who attend Roxbury Community College full time pay an average of $6,096 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $11,088.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out Roxbury Community College. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Quinsigamond Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #11 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 898 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Quinsigamond Community College is $5,830. Out-of-state students pay an average of $10,774. On average, associate degree students take out $17,562 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Quinsigamond Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 41% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Northern Essex Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #12 on the list. Haverhill, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 470 students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from Massachusetts pay an average of $5,688 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend NECC. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,472. Associate Degree recipients from NECC accumulate an average of $12,741 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at NECC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 95% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Middlesex Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Middlesex Community College is located in Bedford, Massachusetts and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 727 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Middlesex Community College is $6,098. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,170. On average, associate degree students take out $9,676 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Middlesex Community College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 65% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Quincy College landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Quincy College is located in Quincy, Massachusetts and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 301 associate degrees to qualified students.
If you want to attend Quincy College, expect to pay an average of $7,344 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Associate Degree recipients from Quincy College accumulate an average of $15,248 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Quincy College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 82% took at least some of their classes online.
Holyoke Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in Holyoke, Massachusetts, the small public school awarded 555 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Holyoke Community College is $5,570. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $10,514. Associate Degree recipients from Holyoke Community College accumulate an average of $10,235 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Holyoke Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 64% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the New England Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 15 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.