Amherst, MA
The University of Massachusetts Amherst was founded in 1863 as Massachusetts Agricultural College under the Morrill Land-Grant Act, becoming Massachusetts State College in 1931 and the University of Massachusetts in 1947. It is the flagship of the five-campus UMass system and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a doctoral university with the highest level of research activity (R1).
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from University of Massachusetts-Amherst's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 25% submitted SAT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Action: Nov 5, 2026
- Regular Decision: Jan 15, 2027
Confirm on University of Massachusetts-Amherst's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
Out-of-state students pay $24,087 more per year in tuition and fees (2.3x the in-state rate).
Computer science, nursing, business, engineering and Honors College students pay an extra fee.
Tuition & fees are University of Massachusetts-Amherst's own published 2026-27 rates (source); other figures are from the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Paying less as an out-of-state student
University of Massachusetts-Amherst takes part in this regional program, which can cut the out-of-state rate for students from nearby states.
New England Tuition Break
Residents of the other New England states get a reduced out-of-state rate in approved majors. Which majors qualify depends on your home state.
Where do you stand against University of Massachusetts-Amherst's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow University of Massachusetts-Amherst weighs your application
From University of Massachusetts-Amherst's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What admitted applicants who posted their results listed
28 admitted applicants who posted their profiles publicly, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles. Too few rejected or waitlisted applicants have posted to compare, so every figure here describes admits only. It shows what admitted posters looked like, not what made the difference.
Most common activities among admits
Most common awards among admits
Who the admitted posters were
How this compares across big public universities: Big Public University Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not University of Massachusetts-Amherst's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. Expect these medians to run above the school's real admitted class. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what University of Massachusetts-Amherst weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does University of Massachusetts-Amherst look for in applicants?
Per University of Massachusetts-Amherst's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is University of Massachusetts-Amherst's acceptance rate?
University of Massachusetts-Amherst in Amherst, MA admits approximately 60% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for University of Massachusetts-Amherst?
Per University of Massachusetts-Amherst's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1330–1480 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for University of Massachusetts-Amherst?
Per University of Massachusetts-Amherst's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 30–34 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does University of Massachusetts-Amherst cost?
University of Massachusetts-Amherst's total cost of attendance is reported at $34,549 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
Does University of Massachusetts-Amherst offer reduced tuition for out-of-state students?
Yes -- University of Massachusetts-Amherst takes part in the New England Tuition Break, a regional program that lets qualifying out-of-state students pay less than the full out-of-state rate. Eligibility depends on your home state, and the school sets its own requirements.
What is out-of-state tuition at University of Massachusetts-Amherst?
For 2026-27, University of Massachusetts-Amherst's tuition and required fees are $43,299 for out-of-state students and $19,212 for in-state students -- $24,087 more per year for out-of-state students. That's before financial aid, and room and board are extra.
When is the application deadline for University of Massachusetts-Amherst?
University of Massachusetts-Amherst's deadlines are Early Action Nov 5, 2026; Regular Decision Jan 15, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does University of Massachusetts-Amherst require students to live on campus?
No -- University of Massachusetts-Amherst doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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