MCLA vs. LHU

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

 MCLA LHU
Location North Adams, MA Lock Haven, PA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 938 2,920
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1035
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu lhup.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA LHU
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $17,290
Room & Board $13,632 $10,350
Avg Net Price $15,377 -
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 0%

Admission

 MCLA LHU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 -
Admitted 1,346 -
Acceptance Rate 92.4%
Enrolled % 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.41
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 960/1180 980/1190
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 MCLA LHU
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%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (18%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 MCLA LHU
Graduation Rate 53% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $254 $279

Diversity

 MCLA LHU
% Men 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 84%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 8% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 MCLA LHU
% In-State 55% 91%
% Out-of-State 45% 8%

Campus

 MCLA LHU
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

  • Lock Haven University is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,920 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. LHU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or LHU?

  • Lock Haven University is 649.1% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.3% higher at LHU than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($17,290.00 vs. $9,975.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lock Haven University are 31.7% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($10,350 vs. $13,632)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Lock Haven University (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students is ?% larger than aid received Lock Haven University ($9,044 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 68 points higher than at LHU (948)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at LHU (20)
  • Accepted freshman LHU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at MCLA (3.2)

MCLA vs. LHU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Lock Haven University (53% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Lock Haven University earn on average $5,000 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $2,341 lower median federal student loan debt than LHU graduates. ($24,659 vs. $27,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than LHU graduates. ($254 vs. $279)
  • More LHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 63%)

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