The purpose of a state report card is to provide the general public and policymakers with information to assess and improve post secondary education in each state. "Measuring Up 2008" is the fifth in a series of biennial report cards that evaluates states in six overall performance categories: (1) Preparation for post-secondary education and training; (2) Participation; (3) Affordability; (4) Completion; (5) Benefits; and (6) Learning. Respective findings for Massachusetts relative to best-performing states include: (1) Massachusetts performs well in preparing its young people for college, but there are large gaps by ethnicity; (2) The state does fairly well in providing college opportunities for its residents; (3) Higher education has become less affordable for students and their families; (4) Massachusetts performs well in awarding certificates and degrees relative to the number of students enrolled; (5) Massachusetts is a top performer in the proportion of residents with a bachelor's degree, but there are substantial gaps by ethnicity; and (6) Like all states, Massachusetts receives an "Incomplete" in Learning because there is not sufficient data to allow meaningful state-by-state comparisons. Based on previous state performance, the percentage of young adults in Massachusetts who earn a high school diploma has increased slightly since the early 1990s; college enrollment of young adults in Massachusetts has improved considerably since the early 1990s; college enrollment of working-age adults, relative to the number of residents without a bachelor's degree, has declined substantially; the share of family income, even after financial aid, needed to pay for college has risen substantially; the number of undergraduate credentials and degrees awarded in Massachusetts, relative to the number of students enrolled, has increased since the early 1990s; and the percentage of residents who have a bachelor's degree has increased considerably. In addition to information included in the summary report, the full report includes international comparisons, state-by-state 2008 grades and key indicators, frequently-asked questions answers, and available resources. (Contains 12 figures and 9 tables.) [For National Report, see ED503494. For Massachusetts state summary, see ED503535.]