Boston has many four-year colleges.
Boston . The area 's many colleges and universities make Boston an international center of higher education , including law , medicine , engineering , and business , and the city is considered to be a world leader in innovation and entrepreneurship , with nearly 2,000 startups . List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston . There are a total of 54 institutions of higher education in the defined region , including 4 junior colleges , 15 colleges that primarily grant baccalaureate and master 's degrees , 8 research universities , and 24 special-focus institutions .