Westfield State University

Westfield State University, in southern Massachusetts, was innovative from its start. Nineteenth-century education reformer Horace Mann founded the school as the first co-educational institution for teacher education and made Westfield the first college in America to offer an education without barriers tied to race, gender, or economic status. Today, Westfield provides its roughly 5,000 undergrads with many academic options, including flexible learning schedules, online classes, and professional development programs. The most popular majors include business management, criminal justice, and education. Westfield also offers part-time bachelor programs and a degree-completion program that allows graduates of Massachusetts community colleges to complete their degree online. Over one-third of students at Westfield State University, located about 10 miles west of Springfield, commute or live off campus. Basketball fans will enjoy Springfield, the site of the sport's hall of fame; outdoorsy types can seek out the area's plentiful hiking trails. The school is a strong proponent of service learning -- its civic engagement initiative, Westfield Engages, gives students opportunities to improve communities locally, regionally, and internationally. Its reasonable in-state tuition is also a draw -- and if you're over 60 years old, tuition is free.