Schools in Boston

Boston is the state capital of Massachusetts as well as its largest city. Founded in 1630, the city is home to 4.5 million people and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Financial, professional and business services as well as government sector agencies important economic drivers for Boston. The city is considered as one of the “Best Places for Business and Careers” by Forbes Magazine. It has the reputation of being an intellectual and medical center, owing to the teaching and research activities of over 100 colleges and universities located in the Greater Boston Area. The great number of colleges and universities in the city makes it an international center of higher education.

Overview of Colleges in Boston

Boston is home to some 34 universities, colleges, and community colleges, which had a combined enrollment of 145,274 students in 2006. Students with diverse goals, from all walks of life can pursue their educational objectives at the colleges in Boston and benefit from their many learning opportunities.

You can potentially choose from a number of degree programs from a variety of areas of study, including:

• Engineering
• Healthcare
• Administration
• Management
• Culinary arts
• Administration
• Accounting
• Marketing
• Information technology
• tourism
• Finance

Boston’s economic base has changed considerably over the past few decades. In 1970, manufacturing and trade related jobs accounted for 33% of the total economy, while financial and service sector jobs totaled 38%. Interestingly, in 2000, manufacturing and trade jobs economy halved while financial and service sector jobs jumped to 62%. Pursuing academic programs may help you become eligible for job openings in the service sector. So programs in finance, accounting, marketing, management, tourism, hospitality and related fields, in particular, can be beneficial.

Many schools in Boston offer financial aid in order to help you afford a higher education. Funds are available in the form of:

• Student Loans - Federal Perkins loans and Federal Stafford loans


• Grants - Massachusetts Gilbert Grant, Massachusetts Part-Time Grant and more


• Scholarships - The Alumni Funded Scholarship Program and Boston Medical Center Employee Scholarship, Bryan D. Willard Scholarship and more


• Student Employment

Through these funds, you can possibly avail the learning opportunities that might have been out of your reach otherwise.

Boston ranks among the cities having the highest population, employment and per capita income in the US. In 2007, according to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Boston supplied an estimated 672,678 jobs, or one out of every fourteen jobs in New England. This implies that qualified students in Boston have better chances of finding jobs in this region than those living in other parts.

Moreover, the number of jobs in education and health services in Massachusetts is expected to increase by 19.8% at the end of the 2008 - 2017 period. Some of the industries that are expected to add the most jobs in the state are:

• Leisure and hospitality
• Professional and business services
• Trade, transportation, and utilities
• Financial activities