Association of Independent Colleges & Universities in MA.

The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, known as AICUM, is the leading policy voice for the state’s independent colleges and universities. It gives its 56 member institutions a shared voice on state and federal legislative and regulatory issues, and it works with a wide range of groups, organizations and opinion leaders to develop policy. It describes its members as job creators, workforce developers and economic engines in Massachusetts.

AICUM also makes the case for the economic role of private higher education. A 2023 economic impact study it commissioned found that the state’s private colleges and universities contribute $71.1 billion to the economy, support 321,000 jobs and generate $2.4 billion in annual tax revenue. Its members educate most Pell Grant recipients at four-year schools in Massachusetts and invested nearly $900 million in financial aid in a recent year.

What to Know

• Eight of 10 STEM graduates in Massachusetts attend a private, nonprofit college or university.
• Nearly 80 percent of the state’s health care degrees are awarded by private institutions.
• An Affiliate Membership Program lets businesses share industry expertise with member colleges.