University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Public · Moderately Selective · MA

Photo: Ktr101 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationMA · Northeast

SettingSuburban

Undergrads11,434

Student:faculty17:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate44.5%

6-yr grad rate64.8%

Drop-out rate16%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$17k

Out-of-state tuition$36k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity50.6%

Gender diversity42.4%

International2.6%

Identity—

Overview

UMass Lowell grew out of textile and teachers' colleges in a historic Merrimack River mill city and has kept a strongly applied, career-focused identity ever since. It functions as a serious public research university without shedding its practical, industry-connected roots, and the River Hawks identity — anchored by a Division I hockey program that has made deep national tournament runs — gives the school a level of athletic visibility unusual for its size.

Academics

Engineering, housed in the Francis College of Engineering, is the flagship strength, including a storied plastics engineering program that traces back to the school's textile-era origins, alongside computer science, nursing through the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, and a distinctive sound recording technology program. Co-ops and industry partnerships are built into many majors rather than being an optional add-on, giving students structured paid work experience before graduation. The Manning School of Business rounds out the professional programs, and the university's applied research centers keep faculty work closely tied to regional manufacturing and technology employers.

Campus & student life

The campus occupies a former mill city along the Merrimack River, giving it a gritty, industrial-revival character rather than a leafy traditional quad, with old textile-mill buildings repurposed into academic and residential space. Boston is a short commuter-rail ride away, which pulls some social and internship life toward the city, and the student body includes a substantial number of commuters and transfer students alongside traditional residential undergrads. Hockey is the clear centerpiece of campus athletic culture, playing in Hockey East against traditional New England programs.

Getting in

Admissions rewards demonstrated technical and career interest, particularly for engineering and health-related majors, and the process is generally more straightforward and less essay-heavy than at elite privates. Co-op program interest is often a genuine plus in an application, and specific engineering concentrations sometimes carry their own capacity considerations.

After graduation

The co-op system is central to placement outcomes: many engineering and business students graduate with a job offer already in hand from a co-op employer. Regional manufacturing, defense, and technology companies across Massachusetts and New Hampshire recruit heavily from the university given its long-standing local reputation.

Worth knowing

The co-op system is central to the UMass Lowell experience and worth planning around — many engineering and business students extend their time to degree slightly to complete paid rotations, trading a semester or two for real industry experience and often a job offer before graduation.

uml.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate83%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1180–1370 · ACT 25–32

Test policyoptional

Rec letters1

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 5

Regular decisionFeb 15

Applying