Best General Studies Schools Near Worcester, MA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Worcester, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs, with tuition ranging from $58,867 to $68,432 per year for indexed programs. Worcester has a population of about 205,501. Median household income is $67,544 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Worcester, MA metro area, the top-earning general studies-related role is Management Analysts at a median $122,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest General Studies Schools to Worcester

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies programs near Worcester, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Worcester 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 Worcester. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA 0.3 miles from Worcester
  • 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

#2

Clark University

Worcester, MA 1.6 miles from Worcester
  • 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

Sponsored Ad
#3

Worcester State University

Worcester, MA 1.9 miles from Worcester
  • 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

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA 2.3 miles from Worcester
  • 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

Sponsored Ad
#5

Quinsigamond Community College

Worcester, MA 3.1 miles from Worcester
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,949
Avg net price $9,090/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

General Studies Wages Near Worcester

Worcester 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.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Managers $111,900 Worcester, MA $109,171
Management Analysts $122,180 Worcester, MA $119,200
Human Resources Specialists $77,290 Worcester, MA $75,405
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $90,300 Worcester, MA $88,098
Writers and Authors $80,490 Worcester, MA $78,527
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $87,050 Worcester, MA $84,927
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $73,130 Worcester, MA $71,346
Social and Community Service Managers $77,500 Worcester, MA $75,610

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.

Worcester at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 205,501 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,544 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 34.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 102.5 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Worcester-Area Cities With General Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited general studies schools are near Worcester, MA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Worcester. The closest is Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA (0.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Quinsigamond Community College (3.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles near Worcester?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles near Worcester are: Management Analysts ($122,180), General and Operations Managers ($111,900), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($90,300). 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 Marlborough instead of Worcester?

Marlborough, MA is 14.4 miles from Worcester and has its own set of local general studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Worcester an affordable place to study general studies?

Worcester’s median household income of $67,544 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Worcester 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 General Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Worcester

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

Back to Best General Studies Schools in Massachusetts (2026)