POLLING: Are High Costs Driving College Grads Out Of MA?

Thousands of college seniors will cross the stage this spring in Massachusetts. Will they take their diplomas and ditch, or do they plan to start their careers here in the Commonwealth?

Do High Costs Trigger Grad Flight?

In a new poll of Massachusetts voters conducted May 6-11, 2026, 84% of respondents said they were concerned the Commonwealth’s high cost of living, including taxes, is pushing college graduates to seek job opportunities in other states. This concern has grown since last year’s graduation season, when a similar poll of voters found 81% were wary of grads leaving the state.

These concerns are even greater among younger respondents, and hold across the political spectrum. Gen Z and Millennials were even more likely (86%) to express worries about college students moving out, as were those identifying as Republican (85%) or Democrat (85%).  

Losing New Grads Is a Sign of a Larger Problem

Graduation season has revived concerns about new talent leaving the state. But it could point to a larger trend about the Commonwealth’s economic future overall. 

Nearly half of survey respondents (46%) said they believe the Commonwealth’s economy is on the wrong track. That includes two in five Gen Z and Millennial voters. 

Massachusetts is home to many of the nation’s top higher education institutions, and is a regional hub for workforce talent. As a result, companies have historically looked to invest here, generating new opportunities and economic growth that makes life better for residents over the years.

A decade ago, the Commonwealth boasted a robust economy and thriving job opportunities. Now due to rising costs, including taxes on residents and businesses, Massachusetts is seeing a net migration of younger residents out to other lower-cost, lower-tax states. 

There are always non-economic factors college grads and young professionals consider when choosing a job or place to live. However, the net outmigration of Massachusetts’ young people has more than doubled in the last decade. 

The latest data available from the Internal Revenue Service shows the state lost nearly 75,000 residents under the age of 35 in 2023, a 25% increase from a decade earlier. That means Massachusetts lost 8,758 more young residents than it gained in 2023 – more than double the net outmigration a decade earlier.

Meanwhile, the state is experiencing sluggish economic growth, and a loss of jobs. Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics quarterly data shows Massachusetts’ businesses are shrinking more than growing, and Pioneer Institute research finds the state is lagging behind the rest of the country in formation of new businesses. As a result, the state is losing job opportunities, especially in key industries that require advanced education and technical knowledge, like the science and technology sector. 

Conclusion

There are many reasons why college students choose to leave the location of their alma mater after graduation. But, high costs could be an increasingly common reason young professionals are moving out after college. 

Massachusetts has invested in building a higher education hub, and building up key industries that attract advanced talent. As a result, the Commonwealth has some of the best public and private higher ed institutions in the country and a historically booming economy, especially for emerging industries. But the cost of living and staying here might be eroding the state’s ability to keep and attract young talent.

Getting young people coming here for college to stay here after graduation is important to boosting the state’s economic potential. Key elements to attracting these young workers are making the state a cost-effective, enjoyable place to live, and also making it a competitive business environment that fosters more job creation. 

Policymakers must focus on ways to help residents keep more of their money in their pockets, and to help businesses start, thrive, and grow to create new job opportunities for the next generation of the Commonwealth’s workforce.