MCLA vs. Elms College

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

 MCLA Elms College
Location North Adams, MA Chicopee, MA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 1,275
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #401
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu elms.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Elms College
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $38,735
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $38,735
Room & Board $13,632 $14,830
Avg Net Price $15,377 $23,498
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $27,109
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 MCLA Elms College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 1,177
Admitted 1,346 1,070
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 90.9%
Enrolled % 13.2% 13.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 960/1180 1070/1300
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 Elms College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Elms College
Graduation Rate 53% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $46,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $254 $258

Diversity

 MCLA Elms College
% Men 42% 25%
% Women 58% 75%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 56%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 24%

Students

 MCLA Elms College
% In-State 55% 72%
% Out-of-State 45% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (1,275 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Elms College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Elms College?

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is 3,660.7% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($38,735.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 288.3% higher at Elms College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($38,735.00 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 Elms College ($15,377 vs. $23,498)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 8.8% lower than costs at College of Our Lady of the Elms ($13,632 vs. $14,830)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than College of Our Lady of the Elms (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Our Lady of the Elms students is 199.7% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($27,109 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Elms College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 40 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Elms College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Elms College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Elms College (90.9%)

MCLA vs. Elms College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCLA or Elms 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 Elms College and MCLA.

  • The graduation rate at Elms College is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (58% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from College of Our Lady of the Elms earn on average $9,200 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($46,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $341 lower median federal student loan debt than Elms College graduates. ($24,659 vs. $25,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Elms College graduates. ($254 vs. $258)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Elms College students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 61%)

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