History
The Massachusetts Agricultural College (MAC) was founded in 1863 under the national Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act. Set on 310 rural acres, it offered its first classes in 1867. It then had four faculty members, four wooden buildings, 56 students, and a curriculum combining modern farming, science, technical courses, and a smattering of the liberal arts.
Education
109 bachelor's degree programs, five associate's, 78 master’s and 48 doctoral programs in nine schools and colleges.
Research
UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth’s flagship public research university, is one of the nation's top universities for research as measured by national and international rankings, academic citations, and research funding. The campus spends more than $200 million on research each year, demonstrating its contribution to the nation’s position as a technological and economic leader. We work in conjunction with academic, government, and private partners to translate new knowledge and scientific discoveries into technical innovations and scholarly works that create opportunity for students, faculty and the public.
Career
The mission of the Career Development Hub, and of career centers university-wide, is to educate students in all phases of their career development and to empower them in making gratifying career decisions to develop and transition successfully in a diverse and global society.
University of Massachusetts Amherst Key Statistics & Highlights
- #112 Ranking
- 149 Scholarships
- 4,742 Academic Staff
- 62,595 Students
- 9,389 Students (int'l)
- 30,672 Students (female)
- Public Institution Type
University of Massachusetts Amherst Overview
University of Massachusetts Amherst Scholarships
University of Massachusetts Amherst Scholarships
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University of Massachusetts Amherst Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
World University Rankings
By Times Higher Education
Dropped 28 places compared to 2025
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 123 | 84 | 112 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 13 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 160 | 175 | 162 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 151 | 201 | 201 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
By TopUniversities
Climbed 28 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 245 | 275 | 247 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student services
The Student Affairs and Campus Life is a campus community that actively embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion grounded in core values of compassion, care, and concern for others. We center around eight key functions that together create a supportive living and learning environment of responsive care and support for retention, graduation, and success beyond college.
Housing services
The university has 52 residence halls including traditional residence halls, suites and apartments throughout campus.
Whether you prefer a residential area nestled amid rolling hills or a neighborhood located at the heart of the campus, a high-rise tower or a red brick residence hall, a suite or a traditional room, UMass Amherst offers a housing option to meet your needs and expectations.
Each residential area houses classrooms, recreational and social centers, kitchenettes, and cultural centers - in addition to the bedrooms, study areas, laundries, television rooms, and dining facilities you might expect. Each residential area also has its own student governing body and is, in effect, a community unto itself.
Library services
As a key partner in teaching, learning, and research at UMass Amherst and beyond, the Libraries foster a diverse, inclusive, and user-centered environment in which to engage with ideas and acquire the skills necessary for independent learning and critical thinking.
ICT services
Information technologies at the flagship research campus of the Commonwealth support our core mission of teaching, learning, research, and engagement by using technology to reach new heights of excellence.
Medical services
UHS provides comprehensive health and wellness services for the UMass Amherst campus community, with a special focus on the needs and concerns of college students.
- Allergy Shots
- COVID-19 Testing
- Eye Care and Optical Services
- General Medical Care
- Immunizations
- Neurology
- Nutrition Services
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
and many more...
Campus life
UMass Amherst, located in Amherst, Massachusetts, sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston and 175 miles from New York City. The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers.
Sports facilities
Campus Recreation welcomes you as we strive to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all participants. As members of the campus community and patrons of recreation facilities, including the Recreation Center, Boyden gymnasium, handball/squash courts and pool, Curry Hicks pool, Turf Fields and Mullins tennis courts, we need your assistance in maintaining a safe and healthy environment. We strongly encourage our patrons to read, understand and abide by the policies and procedures. Campus Recreation reserves the right to immediately implement policies and/or procedures to protect our patrons.
Accreditation
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
University of Massachusetts Amherst Campus Locations
University of Massachusetts Amherst Student Reviews & Awards
Based on 11 reviews
- 5 Star 5 Reviews
- 4 Star 6 Reviews
- 3 Star 0 Reviews
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
I'm so Glad that I Transferred Here
I loved my time at Umass Amherst! I went to two schools beforehand and transferred as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and really wasn't expecting much but I was so wrong! I met so many amazing people and made so many connections. I also loved the classes and joined some protest movements. I also loved the country setting while still having many things within walking distance and public transportation. Sure, it wasn't perfect but overall it was an amazing experience!
UMass study‑party blend
UMASS Offered a great learning environment and was super fun. The nightlife and social scene was great. It was the perfect balance of education and fun. I wouldn't trade it for anything else. Go UMASS!
Beautiful campus
I'm so glad I chose to attend UMass Amherst! The campus is beautiful and full of life, and the academic opportunities are unparalleled. The classes are challenging but engaging, and the professors are experts in their fields. The student life is also fantastic - there are so many clubs and activities to get involved in, and the social scene is always hopping. Plus, the town of Amherst is full of great restaurants.