The Massachusetts abbreviation for mail is MA, the two-letter postal code assigned by the U.S. Postal Service. For writing that uses traditional state abbreviations, such as a news dateline, the form is Mass., with a period. Both are correct; they just belong in different places.
With thirteen letters, a double s and a double t, Massachusetts is one of the names people most want to shorten. That makes it worth getting the right short form for the job, and worth knowing which nearby codes it gets confused with.
Quick facts
Postal code
MATraditional
Mass.AP style
Mass. where states are abbreviatedHow to say it
"M A" for the code; "Mass" in speechOfficial name
Commonwealth of MassachusettsNot to be confused with
ME (Maine), MD (Maryland), MS (Mississippi)
Which Massachusetts abbreviation to use
| Situation | Form | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Addressing mail | MA | Worcester, MA 01608 |
| A form or spreadsheet | MA | State: MA |
| A news dateline | Mass. | SALEM, Mass. |
| A sentence in an essay or email | Massachusetts | We drove across Massachusetts. |
A rule of thumb: machines and boxes get MA, readers of news get Mass., and everyone else gets the full name.
The MA state abbreviation in addresses
Envelopes list the town, add a comma, write MA and finish with the ZIP. Massachusetts ZIP codes usually start with 01 or 02.
Mailing a birthday card:
Priya Shah
18 Beacon Street, Apt 3
Boston, MA 02108
Two capitals, no period, one space, then the ZIP.
Postal machines read the bottom line, so the two-letter code is the format the Postal Service asks for. It also keeps a long address from spilling onto an extra line.
Mass. in news and formal writing
The traditional abbreviation Mass. comes from the days before two-letter codes, when each state had a shortened written form. It is still the form used by the major news style guide in datelines, photo captions and short location lists, such as a table of towns that reads "Lowell, Mass." and "Nashua, N.H." In the body of a story, that same guide spells out the state, even right after a city.
People also say "Mass" out loud as a casual nickname: "She grew up in western Mass." In speech, almost no one says the letters M A.
MA is not ME, MD or Master of Arts
MA is one of eight state codes that start with M, and it is easy to swap with its neighbors on a list:
- ME is Maine, which was part of Massachusetts until it became a state in 1820.
- MD is Maryland, farther south on the East Coast.
- MS is Mississippi and MO is Missouri.
- MI is Michigan and MN is Minnesota.
Outside addresses, MA has other meanings, most often Master of Arts, a graduate degree. Our MA meaning page covers those. On a résumé, "MA, History" is a degree; on an envelope, "Springfield, MA" is the state.
Why the name is a commonwealth
The state's official name is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. "Commonwealth" is an old word for a community governed for the common good, and it does not change how the state works or how you abbreviate it. You still write MA in addresses. Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia also call themselves commonwealths.
Massachusetts was one of the original thirteen colonies and became the sixth state in 1788. Boston is its capital and largest city, and its nickname is the Bay State.
Spelling tips that go with the abbreviation
- The full name has a double s near the start and a double t near the end: Massachusetts.
- Capitalize both letters of the code: MA, not Ma.
- The traditional form has one capital and a period: Mass., not MASS.
- Searching for a Massachusetts acronym? MA is a postal abbreviation, not an acronym. Learn why in acronym vs abbreviation.
Every state and territory code sits together on our state abbreviations hub, handy when you address mail often.
Questions people ask
What is the abbreviation for Massachusetts?
The postal code is MA. The traditional abbreviation, used in news datelines and older writing, is Mass.
Is Massachusetts MA or MS?
Massachusetts is MA. MS is the code for Mississippi, so double check this one on forms.
How do you abbreviate Massachusetts in AP style?
AP style uses Mass. in datelines and short location lists. In regular story text it spells out Massachusetts.
Is it wrong to write Mass. on an envelope?
The mail will likely still arrive, but the Postal Service asks for MA. Use the two-letter code on envelopes and labels.
Does MA always mean Massachusetts?
No. In a degree or job title, MA usually means Master of Arts. Next to a town name or a ZIP code, it points to Massachusetts.