Harvard vs. MCLA

Should I go to Harvard University or Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard 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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Harvard University vs. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts comparison
Harvard University Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts College 3 College 4
Harvard University
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Overview

 Harvard MCLA
Location Cambridge, MA North Adams, MA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,631 938
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #4
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Harvard MCLA
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $9,975
Room & Board $19,502 $13,632
Avg Net Price $19,491 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 100%

Admission

 Harvard MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 1,456
Admitted 1,984 1,346
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 92.4%
Enrolled % 83% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.2
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B
Admissions Standards Elite Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 17/21
SAT Range 1490/1580 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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

 Harvard MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Harvard MCLA
Graduation Rate 97% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $67 $254

Diversity

 Harvard MCLA
% Men 46% 42%
% Women 54% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 44% 74%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 11% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Harvard MCLA
% In-State 15% 55%
% Out-of-State 69% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 938 students)

Harvard vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or MCLA?

  • Harvard University is 5,012.5% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($52,659.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 427.9% higher at Harvard than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($52,659.00 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 Harvard ($15,377 vs. $19,491)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 43.1% lower than costs at Harvard University ($13,632 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Harvard University (100% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 583.3% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($61,801 vs. $9,044)

Harvard vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 481 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.8 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard 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 Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (97% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $99,600 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $37,100)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $18,159 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($6,500 vs. $24,659)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $187 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($67 vs. $254)
  • More Harvard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 63%)

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