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Plymouth Westfield State University Salem State University Franklin Pierce University Bridgewater State Roger Williams University UNH Manchester Merrimack Southern New Hampshire University University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Colby-Sawyer Fitchburg State| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | Keene State College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
MCLA | KSC | ||
| Location | North Adams, MA | Keene, NH | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 933 | 2,846 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #746 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mcla.edu | keene.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
MCLA | KSC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,030 | $11,754 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,975 | $23,230 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,634 | $13,860 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,705 | $20,405 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,606 | $10,527 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
MCLA | KSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,543 | 4,666 | ||
| Admitted | 1,425 | 4,157 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 92.4% | 89.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.4% | 17.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.2 | 3.1 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/21 | 24/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 960/1180 | 970/1170 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Dec 1, 2025 |
Academics |
MCLA | KSC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
MCLA | KSC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 53% | 57% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $44,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 63% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,659 | $26,295 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $254 | $271 |
Diversity |
MCLA | KSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 7% | 3% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 74% | 86% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 5% |
Students |
MCLA | KSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 55% | 54% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 41% | 46% | ||
Campus |
MCLA | KSC | ||
| 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
- Keene State College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,846 students vs. 933 students)
MCLA vs. KSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, MCLA or KSC?
- Keene State College is 1,041.2% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($11,754.00 vs. $1,030.00)
- Out of state tuition is 132.9% higher at KSC than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($23,230.00 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 KSC ($17,705 vs. $20,405)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Keene State College are 5.6% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,860 vs. $14,634)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Keene State College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Keene State College students is 9.6% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($10,527 vs. $9,606)
MCLA vs. KSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, MCLA or KSC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between KSC or MCLA .
- The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 25 points higher than at KSC (991)
- Incoming MCLA students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at KSC (22)
- Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at KSC (3.1)
- MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than KSC (89.1%)
MCLA vs. KSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, MCLA or KSC? 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 KSC and MCLA.
- The graduation rate at KSC is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (57% vs. 53%)
- Graduates from Keene State College earn on average $7,300 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($44,400 vs. $37,100)
- Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $1,636 lower median federal student loan debt than KSC graduates. ($24,659 vs. $26,295)
- MCLA graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than KSC graduates. ($254 vs. $271)
- More KSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 63%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/