MCLA vs. Mercy

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

 MCLA Mercy
Location North Adams, MA Dobbs Ferry, NY
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 8,615
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #843
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu mercy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Mercy
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $20,518
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $20,518
Room & Board $13,632 $14,200
Avg Net Price $15,377 $15,879
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $14,789
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

 MCLA Mercy
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 7,891
Admitted 1,346 6,775
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 85.9%
Enrolled % 13.2% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 21/25
SAT Range 960/1180 1020/1230
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 Mercy
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%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Mercy
Graduation Rate 53% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $23,699
Median Loan Payment $254 $245

Diversity

 MCLA Mercy
% Men 42% 28%
% Women 58% 72%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 27%
% Black 9% 23%
% Hispanic 8% 35%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

 MCLA Mercy
% In-State 55% 88%
% Out-of-State 45% 9%

Campus

 MCLA Mercy
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

  • Mercy College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (8,615 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Mercy Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Mercy?

  • Mercy College is 1,892% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($20,518.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 105.7% higher at Mercy than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($20,518.00 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 Mercy ($15,377 vs. $15,879)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 4.2% lower than costs at Mercy College ($13,632 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Mercy College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercy College students is 63.5% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($14,789 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Mercy Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at Mercy (3.19)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Mercy (85.9%)

MCLA vs. Mercy Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Mercy College (53% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Mercy College earn on average $5,100 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $37,100)
  • Mercy College students graduate with a $960 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($23,699 vs. $24,659)
  • Mercy graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($245 vs. $254)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercy students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 40%)

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