At a time when the sticker price at selective colleges can top $90,000+ per year, a wave of Massachusetts institutions is pushing in the opposite direction: making tuition free for many families. If you’re relocating to the Bay State—or already here with college-bound kids—these policies could reshape your higher-ed budget for 2025–2027.
Below is a clear rundown of who qualifies, when programs start, and what “tuition-free” actually covers.
The newest moves
- Lasell University (Newton)
Launching Fall 2026, Lasell’s new Tuition Commitment covers full tuition for first-time, full-time Massachusetts residents from households earning under $100,000. (You’ll still pay room, board, and fees.) Aid combines federal/state grants with Lasell scholarships; students must file the FAFSA and remain in good standing. - Mount Holyoke College (South Hadley)
Announced Sept. 12, 2025: the Mount Holyoke Commitment makes tuition free for U.S. families with total income up to $150,000—with additional aid available for students with greater need to offset housing, food, and fees. - Tufts University (Medford/Somerville)
As of Sept. 9, 2025, Tufts’ Tuition Pact will make undergraduate tuition free for U.S. families under $150,000, starting with the Fall 2026 entering class. (Families under $60,000 typically see no loans.) For context, Tufts lists 2025–26 tuition at $71,982 and a total cost of attendance around $93–96K.
The early leaders
- MIT (Cambridge)
Beginning Fall 2025, MIT tuition is free for students with family income under $200,000 (with typical assets). Other costs like housing and meals are separate. - Harvard College (Cambridge)
Starting 2025–26, tuition is free for families earning $200,000 or less; for families $100,000 and below, all billed expenses—tuition, housing, food, health insurance, and even travel—are covered, plus start-up and launch grants.
For families squeezed by record college prices, Massachusetts now offers a ladder of tuition-free pathways—from public campuses serving in-state residents to elite privates widening access for middle-income households. If you’re planning a move here, these policies can dramatically alter your college affordability map—but only if you match eligibility, deadlines, and start dates to your student’s timeline.