Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Cost is resident tuition plus required fees, 2023-24.
Associate Degrees in Massachusetts
11
Meet the Ranking Threshold
7
Median Resident Tuition and Fees
$6,000
With a Fully Online Option
5
General Studies Associate Degrees in Massachusetts
General studies associate degrees in Massachusetts are ranked here on completion and size far more than on price, since the seven ranked community colleges charge resident tuition and fees within $700 of one another. Seven programs meet the threshold, all public, and 4 more sit below it: Quincy College, Fisher College, Dean College and Urban College of Boston, with 1 to 8 degrees each in the latest year.
Bristol Community College in Fall River leads at 39.9, 317th on the national associate ranking, on scale and price: 162 general studies associate degrees awarded in the latest year at $5,412, the lowest of the seven, and a 22% graduation rate. Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable follows at 32.2 with 59 graduates and a 22% graduation rate, then Middlesex Community College in Bedford at 31.7 with 66 graduates and 23%, and Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester at 31.5 with 64.
No ranked program here graduates more than a quarter of its students. Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner is at the top of the range with 24%, and Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley Hills at the bottom with 17%. Below the threshold, Dean College in Franklin graduates 54% at $44,960 and Quincy College lists $7,536 with a 15% graduation rate. Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bay are the two ranked programs with a fully online option, and five of the 11 programs list one.
The 7 Best General Studies Associate Degrees in Massachusetts
The best general studies associate degrees in Massachusetts are ranked below by their national score, from the national associate degree ranking. The number on each card is the program's place in Massachusetts. Each needed at least 10 graduates in the latest year to be ranked.
1
Bristol Community College
Massachusetts
39.9- Public
- College graduation rate
- 22%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,412 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 162
About the Program
Based in Fall River, Massachusetts, Bristol Community College is a public community college with 6,950 students on its rolls. The program's last federal report shows 162 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 71 in every 100 programs measured here. Across the whole college, 22% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 13% of the institutions behind this list. Tuition and fees are $5,412 a year for residents and $10,356 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 54% of programs at this level. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 71st percentile.
2
Cape Cod Community College
Massachusetts
32.2- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 22%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,712 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 59
About the Program
Based in West Barnstable, Massachusetts, Cape Cod Community College is a public community college with 3,260 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 59 associate's degrees, a count at the 44th percentile for size. Of the students who start at Cape Cod Community College, 22% graduate, and that beats 13 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees run $5,712 a year in state against $10,656 out of state, so on price it sits at the 51st percentile. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. On price it does best, reaching the 51st percentile.
3
Middlesex Community College
Massachusetts
31.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 23%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,098 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 66
About the Program
Middlesex Community College is a public community college in Bedford, Massachusetts that enrolls 9,374 students. The program's last federal report shows 66 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 46 in every 100 programs measured here. A 23% graduation rate puts the college at the 15th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Residents pay $6,098 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $12,170. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 46th percentile.
4
Quinsigamond Community College
Massachusetts
31.5- Public
- College graduation rate
- 22%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,974 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 64
About the Program
Worcester, Massachusetts is home to Quinsigamond Community College, a public community college of 7,811 students. It conferred 64 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 45% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Across the whole college, 22% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 13% of the institutions behind this list. Residents pay $5,974 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $10,918. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 48th percentile.
5
Mount Wachusett Community College
Massachusetts
30.8- Public
- College graduation rate
- 24%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $6,000 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 45
About the Program
Gardner, Massachusetts is home to Mount Wachusett Community College, a public community college of 3,694 students. Some 45 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 36% of the programs ranked alongside it. Its college-wide graduation rate is 24%, the 17th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $6,000 a year as a resident and $10,920 otherwise. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 47th percentile.
6
Massachusetts Bay Community College
Massachusetts
27.6- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 17%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,616 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 53
About the Program
Based in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Bay Community College is a public community college with 4,578 students on its rolls. The program's last federal report shows 53 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 40 in every 100 programs measured here. A 17% graduation rate puts the college at the 4th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees run $5,616 a year in state against $10,560 out of state, so on price it sits at the 52nd percentile. Distance students can complete the whole degree online, so where you live matters less here. Its strongest mark is price, at the 52nd percentile.
7
Northern Essex Community College
Massachusetts
26.1- Public
- College graduation rate
- 21%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $5,688 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 26
About the Program
Haverhill, Massachusetts is home to Northern Essex Community College, a public community college of 4,721 students. Some 26 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 23% of the programs ranked alongside it. Across the whole college, 21% of students finish, which is a higher rate than 11% of the institutions behind this list. Expect tuition and fees of $5,688 a year as a resident and $11,472 otherwise. What lifts it most is price, where it reaches the 52nd percentile.
Other General Studies Associate Degrees in Massachusetts
The other general studies associate degrees in Massachusetts awarded fewer than 10 degrees in the latest year or did not report a figure the ranking uses, so they are listed here without a score. That says something about size and nothing on its own about quality.
| College | Degrees Awarded | Graduation Rate | Tuition and Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy College, Quincy | 8 | 15% | $7,536 |
| Fisher College, Boston | 6 | 28% | $35,013 |
| Dean College, Franklin | 5 | 54% | $44,960 |
| Urban College of Boston, Boston | 1 | $7,608 |
Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Graduation rate is the college's, for first-time, full-time students.
How Much Does a General Studies Associate Degree Cost in Massachusetts?
A general studies associate degree in Massachusetts costs a median of $6,000 a year in resident tuition and required fees for 2023-24, and the seven ranked community colleges all fall between $5,412 at Bristol Community College in Fall River and $6,098 at Middlesex Community College in Bedford. Massachusetts Bay charges $5,616, Northern Essex $5,688, Cape Cod $5,712, Quinsigamond $5,974 and Mount Wachusett $6,000. Quincy College, a public college below the threshold, lists $7,536. The private programs are on a different scale: Urban College of Boston at $7,608, Fisher College at $35,013 and Dean College in Franklin at $44,960.
For a Massachusetts resident, the community college figures above may be the price of nothing. MassEducate made public community college free for Massachusetts students of any age and income, building on MassReconnect, which had covered students 25 and older. You can enroll part-time with a minimum of 6 credits per term in a certificate or associate degree program, and if your family earns up to $85,000 a year you also get a $1,200 allowance for books and supplies and another $1,200 for other expenses. That covers the seven ranked programs, every one a public community college. Ask Quincy College whether it participates.
Will a General Studies Associate Degree Transfer in Massachusetts?
Yes, a general studies associate degree from a Massachusetts community college transfers to any state university or UMass campus through MassTransfer, and the piece built for a general studies student is the Gen Ed Foundation: 11 courses, 34 credits, accepted at any community college, state university or UMass campus in the public system. Finish it at Bristol, Quinsigamond or Middlesex and general education is settled at the receiving campus, except at MassArt and Massachusetts Maritime, whose missions require a different core.
The full MassTransfer programs go further. They guarantee that at least 60 credits transfer and apply to your bachelor's program. The A2B pathways let you complete an approved associate degree at one of the system's 15 community colleges and move to a state university or UMass campus, and A2B graduates who transfer with at least a 3.00 GPA qualify for the MassTransfer Tuition Credit for their first two years there. So ask your college whether its general studies degree is an approved A2B degree, because the 60-credit guarantee rides on that approval.
If you leave for a four-year college before finishing, MassTransfer Reverse Transfer lets you send credits earned there back to your community college to complete the associate degree, with transcript and graduation fees waived. The private programs at Fisher, Dean and Urban College sit outside MassTransfer, so ask them for their own agreements.
What Do Jobs With a General Studies Associate Degree Pay in Massachusetts?
Jobs open to a general studies associate degree in Massachusetts pay the state medians below, from the May 2025 federal wage survey, with the national median beside each for comparison. Each row links to the salary guide for that job.
How to Choose a General Studies Associate Degree Program in Massachusetts
To choose a general studies associate degree program in Massachusetts, pick on completion, commute and online access, because tuition won't decide it. The trade-off the data shows is small but real: Mount Wachusett Community College graduates 24% at $6,000 in tuition and fees and Massachusetts Bay Community College 17% at $5,616, so the $384 saving comes with a lower chance of finishing. Bristol Community College's 162 graduates a year put you in a large program, while Northern Essex Community College awarded 26 and graduates 21%. Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bay are the two ranked programs you can finish online.
If you plan to continue to a bachelor's, ask whether the degree is an approved A2B associate degree, since MassTransfer's 60-credit guarantee rides on that approval, and ask how many of last year's general studies graduates moved on to a state university or UMass campus. Confirm too that MassEducate, which makes public community college free for Massachusetts students of any age and income, covers the program you pick.
If you plan to finish a bachelor's in the state, the general studies bachelor's degrees in Massachusetts have their own page.