University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) Summary
University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) is a public research university based in Lowell, Massachusetts. UMass Lowell is a public R1 research university whose history joins teacher education and textile-technology traditions with modern strengths in engineering, business, health, sciences, computing, education, the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The institution traces its development to 1894, and its present academic identity reflects a long pattern of growth rather than a single modern expansion. The institution’s roots include the Lowell Normal School, founded in 1894, and the Lowell Textile School, founded in 1895. The two traditions evolved through a series of renamed colleges, merged in 1975 as the University of Lowell, and became part of the University of Massachusetts system in 1991. Academically, UMass Lowell supports a broad mix of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, certificate, and interdisciplinary study. Representative undergraduate choices include Business Administration BS, Chemical Engineering BS, Civil Engineering BS, Computer Science BS, Electrical Engineering BS, Mechanical Engineering BS. Graduate study includes options such as Business Administration MBA, Business Analytics MS, Civil Engineering MS, Computer Science MS, Electrical Engineering MS, while doctoral education extends into fields including Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology PhD, Chemistry PhD, Computer Science PhD, Criminal Justice and Criminology PhD. Research emphasizes advanced manufacturing, materials, plastics engineering, robotics, energy, sustainability, health, biomedical science, cybersecurity, data, entrepreneurship, and social and behavioral research. Its Lowell location supports partnerships with technology companies, manufacturers, healthcare organizations, and regional institutions. UMass Lowell operates an urban campus along the Merrimack River, with academic and research facilities distributed across north, south, and east campus areas. Students have access to laboratories, co-ops, internships, athletics, arts, student organizations, and Greater Boston’s broader professional economy. For current cost planning, For 2026–27, full-time undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees are estimated at about $18,252 for Massachusetts residents and $37,460 for out-of-state students; regional and international rates differ, and housing, food, insurance, and other expenses are additional. These published amounts are planning figures and can change with residency, program, credit load, housing, insurance, or board action at University of Massachusetts Lowell, where representative academic pathways at the university include Business Administration BS and Chemical Engineering BS. First-year applicants may use the Common Application and follow Early Action or Regular Decision deadlines published by the university. Graduate admission is program based and may require additional academic or professional materials. UMass Lowell’s engineering, technology, health, business, science, and manufacturing programs are reinforced by career and co-op opportunities across the Merrimack Valley and Greater Boston. Taken together, University of Massachusetts Lowell is best understood as an institution whose academic portfolio, research mission, student support, and regional setting are closely connected. UMass Lowell also uses certificates, accelerated pathways, online options, and other nontraditional formats to extend selected academic areas beyond the standard four-year or graduate sequence. The university’s location in Lowell gives students access to the civic, research, cultural, health, business, and public-sector networks that shape its surrounding region.





