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Massachusetts is top five in the best education system ranking created by Scholaroo, and just under 50% of people 25 and older who live there have a bachelor's degree. If university education is so great in Massachusetts, how can you get your own degree there?
You can start attending some accredited low-cost and free online colleges in Massachusetts today! Best Accredited Colleges knows where you can find the best online colleges and how to pay for additional degree expenses.
List of Free and Low-Cost Colleges with Online Degree Programs
1. The University of Massachusetts
The University of Massachusetts is actually comprised of four different undergraduate campuses - Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell - and two profession-specific schools for medical and law degrees.
UMass Online provides 1,500 programs and over 150 certification programs online through these four campuses and the medical school. A few associate degrees are available, but most are bachelor's and master's options.
The average yearly tuition for UMass is $16,000, but financial aid can bring costs down dramatically, so this college is worth looking at for its many online degree options.
2. Nichols College
Nichols College is a private business college in Massachusetts that offers bachelor's and master's degrees primarily focused on business administration and associated fields like accounting or human resources.
In-state tuition for Nichols College is $37,000 a year, but online students can take full or part-time classes at $385 per credit hour. This comes out to only a little over $4,500 per semester if you take a full course load of 12 credit hours.
3. Salem State University
Salem State University is the oldest and largest public university on the North Shore and admits 90% of applicants as part of the state university system in Massachusetts.
While it offers only one bachelor's program online in Fire Science Administration, SSU offers multiple master's programs for education and license or certification-only courses in everything from public history to library media studies.
Undergraduate tuition for SSU is a bit under $12,000 a year, which is right at the national average.
How Can I Get an Online College Degree for Free in Massachusetts?
The best way to get an online college degree from a Massachusetts university for free is to use financial aid - from grants to scholarships to loans.
Federal Student Aid:
When looking for college financial aid, start with federal student aid. Federal aid pools together as many resources as possible for you in one place so you can get the help you need.
FAFSA
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online to get all the federal student aid you need. By applying and specifying what college you plan to attend, you can receive aid that you're eligible for based on your current finances.
Pell Grant
Speaking of aid based on current finances, the Pell Grant is awarded to individuals and families making under $45,000 a year. It can give you up to $6,495, which can cover most of a year at some of the colleges we mentioned above!
Scholarships in Massachusetts
State-specific financial aid programs for Massachusetts include grants, scholarships, loans, and tuition reimbursement specifically for health programs. Some grants and scholarships are also program-based, but others are need-based, and a general No Interest Loan Program is available to students.
How Can I Cover Additional Online Degree Costs in Massachusetts?
Once tuition is paid for, there are still other expenses to consider: books, travel, food, and housing are usually the biggest expenses after the tuition itself.
Ways to pay for these additional costs include loans and jobs - whether a part-time job in your community or an internship or work-study opportunity offered by your university.
As long as you make sure there aren't any requirements for use, you can put loan or job payments toward anything you need.
FAQs Regarding Free Online College Degrees in Massachusetts
Here are the answers to some of your remaining questions about low-cost and free online colleges in Massachusetts and how to pay for them.
Does Massachusetts Have Free Tuition?
Massachusetts has free tuition in the form of tuition waivers. These waivers can remove some or all tuition costs for specific institutions. Most waivers are for education programs or life circumstances, such as being a foster child or being affected by hurricanes, but there is also a need-based waiver.
How Do You Qualify for Free College in Massachusetts?
You can qualify for free online colleges in Massachusetts through federal student aid or tuition waivers by being a permanent state resident for at least one year and being part of a specific program.
From there, you just need to meet individual eligibility requirements like family financial need or the number of completed credit hours.
Does FAFSA Cover Online College in Massachusetts?
The FAFSA covers any online college that is officially recognized as accredited. Whether you're taking classes online or in person for your degree, it doesn't matter - FAFSA can pay for any federally-recognized university's tuition.
Find a Free or Low-Cost Degree Online in Massachusetts Today
Getting the best education for you often feels like it involves a near-impossible level of effort.
Best Accredited Colleges can make finding low-cost and free online colleges in Massachusetts easy for you, so use our resources to get your ideal online university degree today.
