MCLA vs. MSU

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

 MCLA MSU
Location North Adams, MA Minot, ND
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 938 2,777
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #726
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu minotstateu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA MSU
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $7,168
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $7,168
Room & Board $13,632 $7,180
Avg Net Price $15,377 $12,360
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $5,542
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

 MCLA MSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 498
Admitted 1,346 464
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 93.2%
Enrolled % 13.2% 81.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 17/22
SAT Range 960/1180 992/1178
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 30, 2025

Academics

 MCLA MSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

 MCLA MSU
Graduation Rate 53% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $18,725
Median Loan Payment $254 $193

Diversity

 MCLA MSU
% Men 42% 35%
% Women 58% 65%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 67%
% Black 9% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 13%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 MCLA MSU
% In-State 55% 72%
% Out-of-State 45% 21%

Campus

 MCLA MSU
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

  • Minot State University is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,777 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. MSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or MSU?

  • Minot State University is 595.9% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($7,168.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.2% higher at MCLA than Minot State University ($9,975.00 vs. $7,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minot State University than MCLA ($12,360 vs. $15,377)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minot State University are 89.9% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($7,180 vs. $13,632)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Minot State University (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students is 63.2% larger than aid received Minot State University ($9,044 vs. $5,542)

MCLA vs. MSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 17 points higher than at MSU (999)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at MSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman MSU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MSU has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than MCLA (92.4%)

MCLA vs. MSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Minot State University (53% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Minot State University earn on average $8,100 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $37,100)
  • Minot State University students graduate with a $5,934 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($18,725 vs. $24,659)
  • MSU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($193 vs. $254)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

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