48 Best colleges for Literature in Massachusetts

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Massachusetts ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 1.21M citations received by 39.6K academic papers made by 48 universities in Massachusetts was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge

For Literature

#4 in the United States

#5 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,525

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge

For Literature

#14 in the United States

#15 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1550
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $20,996

3. Boston University

Boston

For Literature

#49 in the United States

#56 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $24,420

4. University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Amherst

For Literature

#58 in the United States

#69 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 89%

5. Boston College

Boston

For Literature

#61 in the United States

#72 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Average SAT: 1490
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $32,519

6. Tufts University

Medford

For Literature

#86 in the United States

#101 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $32,367

7. Northeastern University

Boston

For Literature

#105 in the United States

#125 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1490
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $34,207

8. Brandeis University

Waltham

For Literature

#131 in the United States

#155 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1455
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $43,550

9. University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston

For Literature

#145 in the United States

#170 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 92%

10. Wellesley College

Wellesley

For Literature

#186 in the United States

#215 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1510
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,174

11. Hebrew College

Newton Centre

For Literature

#195 in the United States

#224 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Enrollment: 163
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1921

12. Smith College

Northampton

For Literature

#202 in the United States

#232 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Average SAT: 1480
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $27,305

13. College of the Holy Cross

Worcester

For Literature

#223 in the United States

#254 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $36,014

14. Clark University

Worcester

For Literature

#233 in the United States

#265 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1374
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $33,865

15. University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester

Worcester

For Literature

#237 in the United States

#270 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,489
Male:Female: 31:69
Founded: 1962

16. Williams College

Williamstown

For Literature

#240 in the United States

#274 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $15,894

17. University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell

For Literature

#263 in the United States

#297 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 92%

18. Amherst College

Amherst

For Literature

#266 in the United States

#300 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $19,049

19. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester

For Literature

#283 in the United States

#318 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Net Price: $47,372
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $31,545

20. Suffolk University

Boston

For Literature

#336 in the United States

#374 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $33,832

21. Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley

For Literature

#337 in the United States

#375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Average SAT: 1455
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $32,526

22. Emerson College

Boston

For Literature

#347 in the United States

#386 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $53,432

23. Simmons University

Boston

For Literature

#359 in the United States

#398 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1305
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $28,691

24. Bentley University

Waltham

For Literature

#375 in the United States

#415 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1355
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $45,802

25. University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

Dartmouth

For Literature

#419 in the United States

#462 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1160
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 99%

26. Babson College

Wellesley

For Literature

#475 in the United States

#523 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $32,019

27. Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater

For Literature

#500 in the United States

#551 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1162
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 96%

28. Lesley University

Cambridge

For Literature

#509 in the United States

#560 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $32,587
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,167

29. Emmanuel College

Boston

For Literature

#526 in the United States

#580 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1255
Net Price: $31,121
Receiving Aid: 100%

30. Framingham State University

Framingham

For Literature

#584 in the United States

#642 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1190
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $11,338

31. Dean College

Franklin

For Literature

#601 in the United States

#659 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $32,085
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $32,958

32. Salem State University

Salem

For Literature

#610 in the United States

#668 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $10,319
Enrollment: 6,230

33. Franklin W Olin College of Engineering

Needham

For Literature

#639 in the United States

#697 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Average SAT: 1526
Net Price: $43,184
Receiving Aid: 100%

34. Hampshire College

Amherst

For Literature

#668 in the United States

#727 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Net Price: $27,895
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $46,145

35. Merrimack College

North Andover

For Literature

#675 in the United States

#734 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Net Price: $38,504
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $31,550

36. Stonehill College

Easton

For Literature

#688 in the United States

#749 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Net Price: $33,385
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $39,344

37. Springfield College

Springfield

For Literature

#700 in the United States

#762 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1205
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $30,039

38. Wheaton College - Massachusetts

Norton

For Literature

#729 in the United States

#794 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1305
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $30,701

39. Assumption College

Worcester

For Literature

#745 in the United States

#810 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Net Price: $29,748
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $35,905

40. Worcester State University

Worcester

For Literature

#757 in the United States

#823 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1155
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $9,464

41. Westfield State University

Westfield

For Literature

#791 in the United States

#857 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $9,054
Enrollment: 4,588

42. Western New England University

Springfield

For Literature

#809 in the United States

#875 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $27,056

43. Gordon College

Wenham

For Literature

#840 in the United States

#908 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1243
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $25,299

44. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

South Hamilton

For Literature

#853 in the United States

#923 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 1,352
Male:Female: 61:39

45. Berklee College of Music

Boston

For Literature

#873 in the United States

#943 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Net Price: $49,797
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $23,346

46. MGH Institute of Health Professions

Boston

For Literature

#917 in the United States

#988 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 1,672
Male:Female: 14:86
Founded: 1977

47. Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg

For Literature

#941 in the United States

#1012 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1145
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $11,539

48. Regis College

Weston

For Literature

#986 in the United States

#1058 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Net Price: $28,575
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $37,193

Closest to Massachusetts states to learn Literature

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Rhode Island	7	63
Connecticut	15	7
New Hampshire	8	94
Vermont	5	143
New York	101	3
New Jersey	20	19
Maine	7	188
Pennsylvania	68	16
Maryland	20	20
District of Columbia	9	51
Virginia	32	26
West Virginia	3	134
Ohio	39	13
North Carolina	29	24
Michigan	26	5
South Carolina	15	72
Indiana	23	21
Kentucky	17	78
Tennessee	18	46
Wisconsin	19	15
Georgia	29	42
Illinois	48	11
Alabama	15	90
Iowa	12	37
Missouri	19	45
Florida	28	38
Minnesota	22	22
Mississippi	8	178
Arkansas	10	108
Louisiana	17	56
Kansas	8	64
South Dakota	5	369
North Dakota	2	216
Nebraska	7	93
Oklahoma	9	95
Puerto Rico	3	589
Texas	57	8
Colorado	17	41
New Mexico	4	102
Utah	6	52
Idaho	3	218
Arizona	6	28
Washington	17	10
Oregon	13	74
California	85	1
Hawaii	5	107

Closest to Massachusetts states to learn Literature

Art & Design subfields in Massachusetts