← Back to State vs State

Massachusetts vs Washington: Scholarship Climate 2026

Which climate fits best? Massachusetts offers a higher average award size but fewer total grants compared to Washington. Applicants seeking larger awards may prefer Massachusetts, while those looking for more opportunities might consider Washington.

State vs State

State A

Massachusetts

State B

Washington

Quick comparison

MetricMassachusettsWashington
Active scholarships in catalog268191
Avg. award (where known)$3,188$3,652
Max indexed award$100,000$25,000

Financial Aid Overview for 2026

In 2026, Massachusetts presents a scholarship climate characterized by an average award size of $2,552.85, with a maximum award reaching $40,000 across 149 grants. The top universities in Massachusetts include Worcester State University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Framingham State University, each providing numerous scholarship opportunities.

Conversely, Washington boasts a higher average award size of $3,738.70, with a maximum of $25,000 available from 124 grants. Notable institutions in Washington include Wenatchee Valley College Foundation and Community Foundation for Southwest Washington, offering a variety of funding options for students.

Final verdict explanation

ScholarshipTop publishes this supplemental “Final verdict explanation” whenever the primary matchup body for 2026 skews thinner than editorial depth standards. The comparison table summarizes about 268 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Massachusetts alongside about 191 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Washington using the same ingestion window, so deltas highlight catalog-wide signals rather than courthouse-grade guarantees. Residents, transfers, and commuter students weighing Massachusetts campuses against Washington footprints should corroborate every figure with authoritative financial aid disclosures, state higher-ed portals, endowed scholarship riders, reciprocal tuition agreements, Honors supplements, or graduation timelines before staking savings plans.

After reviewing the matchup metrics above, continue with Matches-style browsing, internationally inclusive corridors when visas matter, streamlined application corridors when time is scarce, followed by essay hubs and evergreen resource articles covering drafting workflows, budgeting, appeals, parental contribution conversations, and scholarship renewals tied to academic performance. ScholarshipTop provides these cues as scaffolding; students still validate final award letters directly with campuses and adjust strategy whenever policies evolve during 2026 and afterward.

Top Scholarship Providers in Massachusetts

Ranked by number of active scholarships

View all scholarships

Top Scholarship Providers in Washington

Ranked by number of active scholarships

View all scholarships

Match workspace

Find scholarships that fit your profile

Find My Scholarships

Scholarship climate by state

Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a competitive scholarship environment with a focus on higher award amounts but fewer total grants available.

Washington

Washington offers a broader range of scholarship opportunities, albeit with lower maximum awards compared to Massachusetts.

Public reference data

Cost of living & wages

State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.

Visual comparison

Massachusetts

Median household income

$103,563

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$2,161

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

29.13/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$63,590

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 26.85 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

lower indicator band

SVI counties

14

ADI counties

14

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 14 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 14 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Washington

Median household income

$97,733

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,418

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

23.29/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$62,990

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 27.40 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

lower indicator band

SVI counties

39

ADI counties

39

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 39 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 39 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.

Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.

Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.

Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.

FAQ

What is the average scholarship amount in Massachusetts?
The average scholarship amount in Massachusetts is $2,552.85.
How many scholarships are available in Washington?
Washington has a total of 124 scholarships available.
Which state has higher maximum scholarship awards?
Massachusetts has a higher maximum scholarship award of $40,000 compared to Washington's $25,000.
What are some top universities offering scholarships in Massachusetts?
Top universities in Massachusetts include Worcester State University and University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Are there more scholarship opportunities in Massachusetts or Washington?
Washington offers more scholarship opportunities with a total of 124 grants compared to Massachusetts's 149 grants.

Sources and official pages

Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.

More guides around this State vs State comparison

Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Massachusetts and Washington.

Related scholarship articles

Related essay guides