MCLA vs. Keystone College

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

 MCLA Keystone College
Location North Adams, MA La Plume, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 1,131
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #981
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu keystone.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Keystone College
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $14,950
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $14,950
Room & Board $13,632 $11,900
Avg Net Price $15,377 $15,559
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $15,368
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 MCLA Keystone College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 1,572
Admitted 1,346 1,268
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 80.7%
Enrolled % 13.2% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.0
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 960/1180 885/1160
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 Keystone College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Keystone College
Graduation Rate 53% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $33,400
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $254 $268

Diversity

 MCLA Keystone College
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 77%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

 MCLA Keystone College
% In-State 55% 61%
% Out-of-State 45% 38%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Keystone College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (1,131 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Keystone College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Keystone College?

  • Keystone College is 1,351.5% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($14,950.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.9% higher at Keystone College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($14,950.00 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 Keystone College ($15,377 vs. $15,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Keystone College are 14.6% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($11,900 vs. $13,632)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts as Keystone College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Keystone College students is 69.9% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($15,368 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Keystone College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 110 points higher than at Keystone College (906)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Keystone College (19)
  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at Keystone College (3.0)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Keystone College (80.7%)

MCLA vs. Keystone College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Keystone College (53% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts earn on average $3,700 more per year than Keystone College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $33,400)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $1,341 lower median federal student loan debt than Keystone College graduates. ($24,659 vs. $26,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Keystone College graduates. ($254 vs. $268)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Keystone College students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 57%)

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