For-profit College Settles Over Alleged Deception

BOSTON — The DeVry University chain of for-profit colleges has agreed to a $455,000 settlement over allegations that it misled students in Massachusetts.

State Attorney General Maura Healey had accused the Illinois-based chain of using deceptive advertising claims to attract students into online programs between 2011 and 2015.

The company has no physical campuses in Massachusetts, but offers online courses.

Healey says the company advertised that 90 percent of its graduates found relevant jobs within six months of graduation, but Healey found rates as low as 52 percent in some programs.

In the settlement, DeVry agreed not to misrepresent employment or earnings data.

Healey’s office says more than 100 of the school’s Massachusetts graduates are expected to be eligible for restitution payments from the settlement.

DeVry officials say they’re pleased the matter has been resolved.

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