MCLA vs. Iona College

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

MCLA Iona College
Location North Adams, MA New Rochelle, NY
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 3,621
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #440
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu iona.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MCLA Iona College
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $42,128
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $42,128
Room & Board $13,632 $17,740
Avg Net Price $15,377 $28,827
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $28,273
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

MCLA Iona College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 6,228
Admitted 1,346 6,004
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 96.4%
Enrolled % 13.2% 13.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.4
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 23/31
SAT Range 960/1180 1030/1210
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 15, 2025

Academics

MCLA Iona College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (37%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

MCLA Iona College
Graduation Rate 53% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $26,047
Median Loan Payment $254 $269

Diversity

MCLA Iona College
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 58%
% Black 9% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 22%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

MCLA Iona College
% In-State 55% 78%
% Out-of-State 45% 20%

Campus

MCLA Iona 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

  • Iona College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (3,621 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Iona College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Iona College?

  • Iona College is 3,990.1% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($42,128.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 322.3% higher at Iona College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($42,128.00 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 Iona College ($15,377 vs. $28,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 30.1% lower than costs at Iona College ($13,632 vs. $17,740)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts as Iona College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iona College students is 212.6% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($28,273 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Iona College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 11 points higher than at Iona College (1005)
  • Incoming MCLA students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Iona College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Iona College students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • Iona College has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than MCLA (92.4%)

MCLA vs. Iona College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iona College is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (57% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Iona College earn on average $21,300 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $1,388 lower median federal student loan debt than Iona College graduates. ($24,659 vs. $26,047)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Iona College graduates. ($254 vs. $269)
  • More Iona College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

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