BOSTON – U.S. News & World Report this week ranked five New England universities among the top 20 in the nation, and ranked seven of the region's smaller colleges among the top 20 American liberal arts schools.
Although Princeton University (in New Jersey) claimed the top spot on the list of national universities for the sixth year in a row, Harvard (in Massachusetts) and Yale (in Connecticut) placed second and third, respectively. Yale shares third-place honors this year with the University of Chicago. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) took seventh place this year. Dartmouth College (in New Hampshire) ranked 11th and Brown University (in Rhode Island) came in 14th.
Colleges with smaller student bodies, a focus on undergraduates, and stellar academic reputations are among the most expensive in Massachusetts, with Amherst College leading the pack, according to a NewBostonPost analysis of federal data.
The total cost of attendance at Amherst was $66,572 last year. In order to provide a complete picture of college costs, the NewBostonPost looked not just at tuition but other costs. The total cost of attendance includes room and board, fees, and even books and supplies. Tuition alone stood at $50,562.
