MCLA vs. York

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

 MCLA York
Location North Adams, MA Jamaica, NY
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 933 6,161
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #602
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA York
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $14,880
Room & Board $14,634 $21,788
Avg Net Price $17,705 $5,631
Avg Grant Aid $9,606 $7,896
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 86%

Admission

 MCLA York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,543 14,236
Admitted 1,425 8,459
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 59.4%
Enrolled % 13.4% 8.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.15
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 960/1180 990/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 MCLA York
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Human Services (6%)

Outcomes

 MCLA York
Graduation Rate 53% 20%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $43,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $8,800
Median Loan Payment $254 $90

Diversity

 MCLA York
% Men 3% 1%
% Women 7% 3%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 6%
% Black 9% 39%
% Hispanic 8% 24%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 MCLA York
% In-State 55% 84%
% Out-of-State 41% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY York College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (6,161 students vs. 933 students)

MCLA vs. York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or York?

  • CUNY York College is 572.8% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($6,930.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.2% higher at York than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($14,880.00 vs. $9,975.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY York College than MCLA ($5,631 vs. $17,705)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 48.9% lower than costs at CUNY York College ($14,634 vs. $21,788)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than CUNY York College (99% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students is 21.7% larger than aid received CUNY York College ($9,606 vs. $7,896)

MCLA vs. York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 131 points higher than at York (885)
  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at York (3.15)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than York (59.4%)

MCLA vs. York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCLA or York? 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 York and MCLA.

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than CUNY York College (53% vs. 20%)
  • Graduates from CUNY York College earn on average $6,100 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($43,200 vs. $37,100)
  • CUNY York College students graduate with a $15,859 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($8,800 vs. $24,659)
  • York graduates are paying $164 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($90 vs. $254)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former York students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 47%)

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