8 Massachusetts College Campuses So Big They Feel Like Their Own Cities

Massachusetts may be one of the smaller states by land area, but it has one of the country’s most recognizable higher education landscapes. From Boston and Cambridge to Amherst, Worcester, Medford, and other college communities, the Bay State is home to major universities, historic campuses, and schools that shape the cities and towns around them. Some campuses are large enough in acreage, enrollment, housing, facilities, and daily activity that they can feel like self-contained communities.

This Tempo ranking looks at the largest college campuses in Massachusetts and what makes each one stand out. Some are known for sprawling grounds and major research facilities, while others have a large footprint because of student life, athletics, historic buildings, or their influence on the surrounding area. Together, these campuses show why Massachusetts remains one of America’s most important college states.

• The only Ivy League university in Massachusetts, Harvard University also boasts the largest campus.
• Harvard University is one of the most famous of Massachusetts’s universities and dates back to its founding in 1636. At 5,000 acres, the Harvard campus is also up there on the list of the largest college campuses in the entire country. The main campus is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts but there are also campuses in nearby Boston and Allston.

• The UMass Amherst stadium is named for a long-time Athletic Director, Warren McGuirk.
• The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is the largest public university in the state. The campus covers 1,463 acres. This is the oldest and largest university within the University of Massachusetts system. It was originally the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Today, it has undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs as well as a thriving research focus. There are approximately 30,000 students, making it one of the largest schools in the state by enrollment.

• There are more than 50 undergraduate majors and 30 graduate programs at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.
• The UMass Dartmouth campus is 710 acres. While it is considerably smaller than the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, it maintains the same focus on research as well as higher education. It joined the University of Massachusetts system later than some other schools. Before 1991 when it merged with the University of Massachusetts system, this school was known as Southeastern Massachusetts University. It has around 7,500 students total in the undergraduate and graduate programs.

• Boston College's Alumni Stadium
• Located in Chesnut Hill, Massachusetts, Boston College’s campus is 405 acres. Even though it is smaller than some other schools on our list, it has a higher enrollment. There are around 9,500 students enrolled at Boston College, a private university in Newton, a suburb of Boston. The university was founded in 1863 and is one of the best-known schools in the Boston area. Even within a state with a lot of history, Boston College has made its mark. It was the first higher education institution in the Boston area and remains a big part of the city’s culture and identity.

• The Westfield Normal Training School was first a teacher’s college and is now a historic building owned by Westfield State College.
• A state school, Westfield State has a 256-acre campus. As a public university, it is notable for its inclusive policies from the very beginning. Founded in 1839 by educator Horace Mann, Westfield State was a co-educational college that allowed both men and women to attend. It also did not discriminate based on race or economic status, an unusual distinction at the time of its founding. Today, there are around 5,400 students enrolled at Westfield State. This includes both undergraduate and graduate students.

• Usen Castle is a fixture on campus and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Brandeis University is a private university in Waltham, Massachusetts. Its campus covers 235 acres. A private university, Brandeis is known for its strong liberal arts programs. It was founded in 1948 and is home to around 5,500 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It was founded as a co-ed private university serving the Jewish community, although a religious affiliate was not a requirement for admission.
• Brandeis has a few notable alumni, including Eleanor Roosevelt and Nobel Prize laureate Roderick MacKinnon, who received the prize for his work in Chemistry. Usen Castle, also known as The Castle, was a castle-style structure on campus that served as a dormitory for students. Today, it is a historic location.

• The MIT campus is located along the Charles River.
• Known by its initials, MIT has a 168-acre campus along Boston’s Charles River. Even though the campus is not huge, the reputation of MIT certainly is. It is known as one of the top schools in engineering, physics, chemistry, and other physical sciences. It is also a leading research university, even at the undergraduate level. There are over 11,000 students enrolled at MIT, including over 3,000 international students. The university has a long list of notable alumni, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin, physicist Richard Feynman, and former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan.

• The Bentley Library at Bentley University is one of the campus’ most recognizable buildings.
• Founded in 1917, Bentley University is located in Waltham, Massachusetts. It has a campus of 163 acres. Bentley is known for its business school and for its focus on providing career-oriented services for students and graduates. Originally founded as the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance in Boston, Bentley University still maintains a strong reputation in business education. The university moved to its current campus in the 1960s.