Best Economics Schools Near Gardner, MA (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Gardner, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs, with tuition ranging from $58,867 to $68,432 per year for indexed programs. Gardner has a population of about 21,075. Median household income is $62,948 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Worcester, MA metro area, the top-earning economics-related role is Management Analyst at a median $122,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Economics Schools to Gardner

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Gardner, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Gardner city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Gardner. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, MA 10.0 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,874
Avg net price $14,262/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Assumption University

Worcester, MA 21.6 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,895
Avg net price $29,498/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Worcester State University

Worcester, MA 23.1 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,624
Avg net price $13,381/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA 23.3 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
77.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $103,470
Avg net price $43,071/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Clark University

Worcester, MA 24.6 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
69.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,381
Avg net price $28,714/yr
Tuition
In‑state$58,867
Out‑of‑state$58,867
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA 25.6 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
67.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $90,543
Avg net price $38,782/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA 30.7 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,631
Avg net price $22,383/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 166

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Amherst College

Amherst, MA 30.8 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
73.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,644
Avg net price $23,367/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Massachusetts schools on the Massachusetts economics page.

Economics Wages Near Gardner

Gardner is part of the Worcester, MA metro area (BLS area code 49340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Economist$99,990Worcester, MA$97,551
Financial and Investment Analyst$98,960Worcester, MA$96,546
Statistician$91,210Worcester, MA$88,985
Management Analyst$122,180Worcester, MA$119,200

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Gardner at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population21,075Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,948Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)102.5 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Gardner-Area Cities With Economics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited economics schools are near Gardner, MA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs near Gardner. The closest is Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg, MA (10.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Clark University (24.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying economics roles near Gardner?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Gardner are: Management Analyst ($122,180), Economist ($99,990), Financial and Investment Analyst ($98,960). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fitchburg instead of Gardner?

Fitchburg, MA is 8.7 miles from Gardner and has its own set of local economics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Gardner an affordable place to study economics?

Gardner’s median household income of $62,948 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gardner while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Economics Programs

Other Programs Available in Gardner

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Gardner:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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