Public vs. Private Universities in Massachusetts

Public Universities vs. Private Universities

• Public Universities are institutions that are primarily funded by state governments.  The state governments pay for most of the cost of operating public universities. This gives residents the opportunity to receive college education at a lower cost. The student body and class sizes of public institutions tend to be a lot larger than private with some exceptions. Usually there is a larger selection of majors and minors to choose from since there is a large student population. 

(http://www.bestcollegesonline.org/50-most-affordable-online-colleges-with-high-graduation-rates-2015/)

• Private universities are institutions that rely heavily on tuition, donations, and private contributions for income. That being said many of them often receive tax breaks, public student loans, and grants.  Many private universities have a stronger, focused, and more specialized major compared to public since they have less concentrations to choose from. 

(http://onlinebestdegree.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Northeastern-University-logo-2.jpg)

Demographics 

• Public schools attract a large number of in-state residents. Typically it is because in-state applicants receive admission priority compared to out of state applicants. Also it is cheaper for residents, making it attractive to locals. 

• Private institutions tend to be more geographically diverse because they do not favor one area over another. They are accepting of applicants from out of state along with international students. 

• The chart below compares two universities using demographic data found on their websites-

1. Public- Umass Amherst
2. Private- Northeastern University

The map below shows the various universities offered in Massachusetts. The blue caps represent the public universities offered in the state, the red caps depict private institutions. The yellow lines are train tracks that run through the state.

 As you can see most of the universities are easily accessible by train, while others rely solely on vehicle transportation. It appears that there are a lot more private institutions in Massachusetts. Most of which are on the eastern part of the state around the Boston area, and along the train routes. 

(Click map to enlarge)

For more information see Massachusetts Department of Higher Public Education & Private institutions in Massachusetts

By Jesuina Pagan