Gordon College vs. MCLA

Should I go to Gordon College or Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Gordon College or MCLA is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Gordon College vs. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts comparison
Gordon College Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts College 3 College 4
Gordon College
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Overview

 Gordon College MCLA
Location Wenham, MA North Adams, MA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,628 938
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #552
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gordon.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Gordon College MCLA
Tuition (In State) $26,010 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $26,010 $9,975
Room & Board $12,150 $13,632
Avg Net Price $24,483 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $15,181 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Gordon College MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,395 1,456
Admitted 1,280 1,346
Acceptance Rate 91.8% 92.4%
Enrolled % 24.8% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 17/21
SAT Range 1086/1313 960/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Gordon College MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Gordon College MCLA
Graduation Rate 74% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,300 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $279 $254

Diversity

 Gordon College MCLA
% Men 38% 42%
% Women 62% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 74%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 8% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

 Gordon College MCLA
% In-State 37% 55%
% Out-of-State 54% 45%

Campus

 Gordon College MCLA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Gordon College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (1,628 students vs. 938 students)

Gordon College vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gordon College or MCLA?

  • Gordon College is 2,425.2% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($26,010.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 160.8% higher at Gordon College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($26,010.00 vs. $9,975.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Gordon College ($15,377 vs. $24,483)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gordon College are 12.2% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($12,150 vs. $13,632)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Gordon College as Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gordon College students is 67.9% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($15,181 vs. $9,044)

Gordon College vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Gordon College or MCLA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between MCLA or Gordon College .

  • The average SAT score at Gordon College (1112) is 96 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming Gordon College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman Gordon College students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Gordon College (91.8%)

Gordon College vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gordon College or MCLA? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between MCLA and Gordon College.

  • The graduation rate at Gordon College is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (74% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Gordon College earn on average $8,200 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $2,341 lower median federal student loan debt than Gordon College graduates. ($24,659 vs. $27,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Gordon College graduates. ($254 vs. $279)
  • More Gordon College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/