University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass) vs BYU–Provo

When it comes to higher education, University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Brigham Young University stand out as two distinct institutions with unique offerings. UMass-Amherst, a public research university, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs, while BYU, a private university affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, emphasizes a strong sense of community and a rigorous liberal arts education. With acceptance rates of 68% and 52%, respectively, both universities offer competitive admissions processes. UMass-Amherst is known for its strengths in STEM fields, while BYU excels in business, education, and nursing. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details about these universities, including student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Brigham Young University logo

Brigham Young University

University of Massachusetts-Amherst logo

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Overview

Location Provo, Utah Amherst, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 89.0% 91.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Mormon

Admission

Acceptance rate 59.2% 65.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $85
SAT range 1220 - 1440 1250 - 1460
ACT range 26 - 32 28 - 33
Students submitting SAT score 20.0% 26.0%
Students submitting ACT score 76.0% 5.0%
Total number of applicants 11,608 42,540
Total number of admissions given out 6,870 27,877
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,413 4,872
Yield rate 78.8% 17.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $20,146
In state: $32,434

Out of state: $52,959
Average net price $13,432 $17,291
Tuition $6,120
In state: $15,791

Out of state: $36,316
Room & board $8,048
Room/dormitory: $7,611

Meal plan: $5,984
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

48.0%
Average amount $5,867
86.0%
Average amount $10,662
Students receiving federal student loan 10.0%
Average amount $5,278
39.0%
Average amount $5,123
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $9,371
7.0%
Average amount $15,924

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 31,642
Men 48.7% Women 51.3%
24,231
Men 48.8% Women 51.2%
Graduate students 3,169
Men 54.4% Women 45.6%
7,814
Men 47.9% Women 52.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 3.6% 11.1%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 7,073 13,582
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A New York New Jersey Connecticut California New Hampshire

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 21:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 76.8% 83.7%
Dropout rate 15.6% 5.1%
Transferred out N/A 10.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $122,288
  • Year 2: $119,642
  • Year 3: $131,537
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,326
  • Year 2: $87,604
  • Year 3: $103,770
Management Information Systems and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,071
  • Year 2: $86,498
  • Year 3: $103,443
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,667
  • Year 2: $83,848
  • Year 3: $99,723
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $95,117
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,340
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $93,220
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,754
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $88,329
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,199
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $86,347
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,287
  • Year 2: $75,989
  • Year 3: $85,287
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,484
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $83,356
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,236
  • Year 2: $99,741
  • Year 3: $118,959
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,497
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $105,578
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,216
  • Year 2: $78,232
  • Year 3: $95,030
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,683
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $94,055
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,391
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $79,970
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,906
  • Year 2: $67,202
  • Year 3: $79,007
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,222
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $76,636
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,607
  • Year 2: $68,647
  • Year 3: $74,913
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,719
  • Year 2: $65,594
  • Year 3: $74,578
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,571
  • Year 2: $63,646
  • Year 3: $73,746

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