Melrose, Massachusetts has a population of about 29,488. The city’s median household income is $126,854 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 62.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited engineering programs within 100 miles of Melrose, with tuition ranging from $67,844 to $84,600 per year. In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $178,800 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer engineering programs. Distances are calculated from Melrose city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tufts University | Medford, MA | 3.5 mi | $67,844 - $84,600 | – |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | 6.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology | Boston, MA | 7.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | 7.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | 8.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Massachusetts schools on the Massachusetts engineering page.
Melrose is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (BLS area code 14460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $104,750 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $96,722 |
| Electrical Engineer | $127,520 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $117,747 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $124,160 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $114,645 |
| Chemical Engineer | $122,190 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $112,825 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $151,080 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $139,501 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $110,880 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $102,382 |
| Environmental Engineer | $116,980 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $108,015 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $178,800 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $165,097 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 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.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,488 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $126,854 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 62.0% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 108.3 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Middlesex County | 18,471 workers, 1,261 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory lists 5 engineering programs within 100 miles of Melrose. The closest is Tufts University in Medford, MA (3.5 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Northeastern University (8.1 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Melrose are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($178,800), Aerospace Engineer ($151,080), Electrical Engineer ($127,520). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Malden, MA is 1.7 miles from Melrose and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Melrose’s median household income of $126,854 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Melrose while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
Return to Best Online Engineering Programs in Massachusetts (2026)