Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

49 Best Universities in Massachusetts for Optics

Focusing specifically on Optics, our data science engine identified the 49 most influential universities in Massachusetts. Our methodology evaluated 1.84M subject-specific papers and 99.47M citations to find the strongest faculties. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

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1

Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#6 in United States #6 in North America

5% Acceptance

4,535 Enrollment

1550 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

2

Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

#1 in United States #1 in North America

4% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1636 Founded

3

Boston

Boston University

#37 in United States #40 in North America

11% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

4

Amherst, MA

University of Massachusetts – Amherst

#60 in United States #64 in North America

60% Acceptance

17,560 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

5

Medford, MA

Tufts University

#57 in United States #61 in North America

11% Acceptance

7,126 Enrollment

1515 Avg SAT

1852 Founded

6

Boston

Northeastern University

#87 in United States #99 in North America

5% Acceptance

17,432 Enrollment

1490 Avg SAT

1898 Founded

7

Lowell

University of Massachusetts – Lowell

#213 in United States #240 in North America

83% Acceptance

12,122 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1894 Founded

8

Boston

#110 in United States #125 in North America

16% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1490 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

9

Worcester, MA

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

#203 in United States #230 in North America

60% Acceptance

5,558 Enrollment

1443 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

10

Worcester, MA

University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester

#154 in United States #177 in North America

12% Acceptance

1,261 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1962 Founded

11

Great Barrington

Bard College at Simon’s Rock

#1209 in United States #1286 in North America

96% Acceptance

314 Enrollment

1455 Avg SAT

1964 Founded

12

Amherst, MA

Amherst College

#245 in United States #276 in North America

9% Acceptance

442 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1821 Founded

13

Wenham

#735 in United States #803 in North America

69% Acceptance

1,314 Enrollment

1243 Avg SAT

1889 Founded

14

Worcester, MA

College of the Holy Cross

#380 in United States #426 in North America

18% Acceptance

3,126 Enrollment

1325 Avg SAT

1843 Founded

15

Boston

New England College of Optometry

#1200 in United States #1277 in North America

23% Acceptance

400 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1894 Founded

16

Williamstown

Williams College

#233 in United States #263 in North America

8% Acceptance

2,115 Enrollment

1530 Avg SAT

1793 Founded

17

Norton

Wheaton College – Massachusetts

#730 in United States #797 in North America

68% Acceptance

1,785 Enrollment

1305 Avg SAT

1912 Founded

18

Boston

Simmons University

#371 in United States #414 in North America

70% Acceptance

669 Enrollment

1305 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

19

North Adams

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

#1037 in United States #1111 in North America

90% Acceptance

794 Enrollment

1325 Avg SAT

1894 Founded

20

Boston

University of Massachusetts – Boston

#189 in United States #214 in North America

84% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1180 Avg SAT

1964 Founded

21

Springfield, MA

Springfield College

#713 in United States #780 in North America

72% Acceptance

1,763 Enrollment

1205 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

22

Waltham

Bentley University

#344 in United States #383 in North America

45% Acceptance

4,526 Enrollment

1355 Avg SAT

1917 Founded

23

Newton Centre

#945 in United States #1017 in North America

80% Acceptance

73 Enrollment

1325 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

24

Waltham

Brandeis University

#130 in United States #151 in North America

40% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1455 Avg SAT

1948 Founded

25

North Andover

Merrimack College

#710 in United States #776 in North America

70% Acceptance

9,377 Enrollment

1120 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

26

Wellesley

#337 in United States #374 in North America

17% Acceptance

2,793 Enrollment

1460 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

27

Boston

Emmanuel College

#940 in United States #1012 in North America

76% Acceptance

1,909 Enrollment

1255 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

28

Worcester, MA

Worcester State University

#674 in United States #737 in North America

88% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1155 Avg SAT

1874 Founded

29

South Hadley

Mount Holyoke College

#332 in United States #369 in North America

36% Acceptance

2,178 Enrollment

1455 Avg SAT

1888 Founded

30

Franklin, MA

#932 in United States #1004 in North America

74% Acceptance

12,941 Enrollment

1305 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

31

Salem, MA

Salem State University

#664 in United States #725 in North America

96% Acceptance

5,429 Enrollment

1162 Avg SAT

1854 Founded

32

Boston

Suffolk University

#322 in United States #358 in North America

82% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1195 Avg SAT

1906 Founded

33

Easton, MA

Stonehill College

#848 in United States #917 in North America

66% Acceptance

2,568 Enrollment

1194 Avg SAT

1948 Founded

34

Boston

MCPHS University

#658 in United States #719 in North America

85% Acceptance

3,469 Enrollment

1288 Avg SAT

1823 Founded

35

Dartmouth, MA

University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth

#311 in United States #345 in North America

91% Acceptance

4,202 Enrollment

1160 Avg SAT

1895 Founded

36

Boston

Wentworth Institute of Technology

#821 in United States #889 in North America

91% Acceptance

3,965 Enrollment

1215 Avg SAT

1904 Founded

37

Springfield, MA

Western New England University

#589 in United States #646 in North America

83% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1195 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

38

Brookline

Newbury College

#1745 in United States #1834 in North America

100% Acceptance

4,473 Enrollment

1273 Avg SAT

1962 Founded

39

Northampton, MA

#255 in United States #286 in North America

21% Acceptance

2,549 Enrollment

1480 Avg SAT

1871 Founded

40

Beverly

Endicott College

#816 in United States #884 in North America

71% Acceptance

3,194 Enrollment

1267 Avg SAT

1939 Founded

41

Amherst, MA

Hampshire College

#566 in United States #621 in North America

75% Acceptance

844 Enrollment

1480 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

42

Worcester, MA

Assumption College

#1295 in United States #1373 in North America

83% Acceptance

6,230 Enrollment

1162 Avg SAT

1904 Founded

43

Wellesley

Wellesley College

#253 in United States #284 in North America

14% Acceptance

2,407 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

44

Framingham

Framingham State University

#771 in United States #839 in North America

84% Acceptance

4,709 Enrollment

1190 Avg SAT

1839 Founded

45

Bridgewater, MA

Bridgewater State University

#536 in United States #589 in North America

88% Acceptance

6,230 Enrollment

1162 Avg SAT

1840 Founded

46

Boston

#1223 in United States #1301 in North America

71% Acceptance

78 Enrollment

1460 Avg SAT

1903 Founded

47

Worcester, MA

Clark University

#249 in United States #280 in North America

40% Acceptance

2,266 Enrollment

1374 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

48

Needham

Franklin W Olin College of Engineering

#748 in United States #816 in North America

25% Acceptance

4,202 Enrollment

1526 Avg SAT

1997 Founded

49

Boston

Emerson College

#484 in United States #533 in North America

51% Acceptance

6,230 Enrollment

1345 Avg SAT

1880 Founded