University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Founded in 1863, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst is a public university. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 23,936 (Fall 2023) and is located on a 1,463-acre campus in a suburban area. The university operates on a semester-based academic calendar. University of Massachusetts Amherst is ranked 58th in National Universities in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. In-state tuition and fees are $17,772 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $40,449.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is the center of the state school system. The university is large, but through the Five College Interchange Program, students can take courses at nearby smaller liberal arts colleges: Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College, and Hampshire College. Students have more than 100 majors to choose from, including an option for a design major, known as a BDIC: Bachelor's Degree with Individual Concentration. Adult students can complete their studies through UMass Flex online course selection or on-campus course selection (or both).

All new students are required to live on campus, and family housing, including one- and two-bedroom apartments, is available for students who are married or have legal custody of dependent children. There are more than 300 student organizations for students to participate in, as well as many outdoor activities in and around Amherst, where the college is located. From the school, it is 90 miles to Boston and 175 miles to New York City. Notable alumni of the University of Massachusetts Amherst include NASA astronaut Catherine Coleman, NPR host Audie Cornish and Peloton co-founder Hisao Kushi.