MCLA vs. Castleton State College

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

 MCLA Castleton State College
Location North Adams, MA Castleton, VT
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 938 2,363
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #783
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu castleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Castleton State College
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $11,832
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $28,800
Room & Board $13,632 $12,404
Avg Net Price $15,377 $16,791
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $13,007
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 MCLA Castleton State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 3,115
Admitted 1,346 2,508
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 80.5%
Enrolled % 13.2% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.17
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 22/26
SAT Range 960/1180 970/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 MCLA Castleton State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Castleton State College
Graduation Rate 53% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $254 $258

Diversity

 MCLA Castleton State College
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 83%
% Black 9% 2%
% Hispanic 8% 2%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 6%

Students

 MCLA Castleton State College
% In-State 55% 43%
% Out-of-State 45% 51%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Castleton State College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,363 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Castleton State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Castleton State College?

  • Castleton State College is 1,048.7% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($11,832.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 188.7% higher at Castleton State College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($28,800.00 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 Castleton State College ($15,377 vs. $16,791)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Castleton State College are 9.9% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($12,404 vs. $13,632)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts as Castleton State College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Castleton State College students is 43.8% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,007 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Castleton State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 57 points higher than at Castleton State College (959)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Castleton State College (21)
  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at Castleton State College (3.17)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Castleton State College (80.5%)

MCLA vs. Castleton State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCLA or Castleton State College? 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 Castleton State College and MCLA.

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Castleton State College (53% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Castleton State College earn on average $500 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($37,600 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $341 lower median federal student loan debt than Castleton State College graduates. ($24,659 vs. $25,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Castleton State College graduates. ($254 vs. $258)
  • More Castleton State College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

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