University of Massachusetts Amherst
Former names | Massachusetts Agricultural College (1863–1931) Massachusetts State College (1931–1947) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (Latin) |
Motto in English | "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty." |
| Type | Public land-grant research university |
| Established | April 29, 1863 |
Parent institution | University of Massachusetts |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
Academic affiliations | Five Colleges |
| Endowment | $672 million (FY2025) (Amherst only) $1.8 billion (FY2025) (system-wide) |
| Chancellor | Javier Reyes |
| President | Marty Meehan (system) |
| Provost | Fouad Abd-El-Khalick |
Academic staff | 1,514 full-time, 296 part-time |
| Students | 31,318 (fall 2025) |
| Undergraduates | 24,019 (fall 2025) |
| Postgraduates | 7,299 (fall 2025) |
| Location | , United States 42°23′20″N 72°31′40″W / 42.38889°N 72.52778°W |
| Campus | suburban, 1,463 acres (5.92 km2) |
| Newspaper | The Massachusetts Daily Collegian |
| Colors | Maroon and white |
| Nickname | Minutemen and Minutewomen |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Mascot | Sam the Minuteman |
| Website | www |
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is a public land-grant research university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system and was founded in 1863 as the Massachusetts Agricultural College. It is also a member of the Five College Consortium, along with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley.
With roughly 24,000 enrolled undergraduates, UMass Amherst has the largest undergraduate student population in Massachusetts. The university offers academic degrees in 109 undergraduate, 77 master's, and 48 doctoral programs in nine schools and colleges. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". According to the National Science Foundation, the university spent $211 million on research and development in 2018.
The university's 21 varsity athletic teams compete in NCAA Division I and are collectively known as the Minutemen and Minutewomen. The university is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference while playing ice hockey in Hockey East and football as an FBS independent school. In 2025, UMass joined the Mid American Conference as a full member.