The two-year student loan default rate measures how many graduates from the institution go into default on their student loans with two years of graduation. This is a complicated metric with many factors, but in general colleges and universities with high student loan default rates may indicate that students have trouble finding employment or well-paying jobs after college. This may mean that the institution has a less-established reputation with employers or that it graduates a higher percentage of students with degrees in lower-wage fields of study.
| Rank | Institution | Student Loan Default Rate (2 Year) | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price | Median Starting Salary | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Maritime Academy | 2.7 | 72.07 | 1,040 – 1,200 | 20759 | 80424 |
#1
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationMassachusetts Maritime Academy
|
| 2 | Westfield State University | 3 | 86.71 | 1,000 – 1,210 | 17723 | 46861 |
#2
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationWestfield State University
|
| 3 | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | 3.5 | 92.35 | 960 – 1,180 | 17705 | 36803 |
#3
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationMassachusetts College of Liberal Arts
|
| 4 | Framingham State University | 3.9 | 84.91 | 1,030 – 1,220 | 16640 | 46611 |
#4
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationFramingham State University
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| 5 | Worcester State University | 3.9 | 87.99 | 1,050 – 1,230 | 14307 | 50233 |
#5
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationWorcester State University
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| 6 | Plymouth State University | 5 | 87.54 | 880 – 1,080 | 20280 | 46466 |
#6
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationPlymouth State University
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| 7 | Salem State University | 6.4 | 95.57 | 1,020 – 1,180 | 19324 | 48209 |
#7
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationSalem State University
|
| 8 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 7.2 | 90.64 | 1,070 – 1,280 | 20696 | 51475 |
#8
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationUniversity of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
|
| 9 | Fitchburg State University | 7.6 | 86.93 | 1,070 – 1,230 | 15820 | 41999 |
#9
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Student Loan Default Rate – Massachusetts State College Athletic AssociationFitchburg State University
|
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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