MCLA vs. Gwynedd Mercy College

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

 MCLA Gwynedd Mercy College
Location North Adams, MA Gwynedd Valley, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 2,091
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #315
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu gmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Gwynedd Mercy College
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $36,052
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $36,052
Room & Board $13,632 $13,056
Avg Net Price $15,377 $28,122
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $24,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 MCLA Gwynedd Mercy College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 1,063
Admitted 1,346 621
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 58.4%
Enrolled % 13.2% 24.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.34
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 960/1180 1015/1235
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2025

Academics

 MCLA Gwynedd Mercy College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (2%)
  • Psychology (2%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Gwynedd Mercy College
Graduation Rate 53% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $56,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $254 $258

Diversity

 MCLA Gwynedd Mercy College
% Men 42% 27%
% Women 58% 73%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 57%
% Black 9% 23%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 10%

Students

 MCLA Gwynedd Mercy College
% In-State 55% 80%
% Out-of-State 45% 20%

Campus

 MCLA Gwynedd Mercy 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

  • Gwynedd Mercy College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,091 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Gwynedd Mercy College?

  • Gwynedd Mercy College is 3,400.2% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($36,052.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 261.4% higher at Gwynedd Mercy College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($36,052.00 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 Gwynedd Mercy College ($15,377 vs. $28,122)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gwynedd Mercy College are 4.4% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,056 vs. $13,632)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts as Gwynedd Mercy College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gwynedd Mercy College students is 171% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($24,512 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 92 points higher than at Gwynedd Mercy College (924)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Gwynedd Mercy College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Gwynedd Mercy College (58.4%)

MCLA vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCLA or Gwynedd Mercy 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 Gwynedd Mercy College and MCLA.

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Gwynedd Mercy College (53% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Gwynedd Mercy College earn on average $19,500 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($56,600 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $341 lower median federal student loan debt than Gwynedd Mercy College graduates. ($24,659 vs. $25,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Gwynedd Mercy College graduates. ($254 vs. $258)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gwynedd Mercy College students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 63%)

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