MCLA vs. RIC

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

 MCLA RIC
Location North Adams, MA Providence, RI
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 5,787
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #720
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu ric.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA RIC
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $9,481
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $25,014
Room & Board $13,632 $13,414
Avg Net Price $15,377 $11,014
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $7,537
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 62%

Admission

 MCLA RIC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 3,921
Admitted 1,346 3,432
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 87.5%
Enrolled % 13.2% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.08
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 960/1180 870/1110
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 15, 2025

Academics

 MCLA RIC
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 MCLA RIC
Graduation Rate 53% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $21,200
Median Loan Payment $254 $219

Diversity

 MCLA RIC
% Men 42% 29%
% Women 58% 71%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 62%
% Black 9% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 16%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

 MCLA RIC
% In-State 55% 80%
% Out-of-State 45% 20%

Campus

 MCLA RIC
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

  • Rhode Island College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (5,787 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. RIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or RIC?

  • Rhode Island College is 820.5% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($9,481.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 150.8% higher at RIC than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($25,014.00 vs. $9,975.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than MCLA ($11,014 vs. $15,377)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island College are 1.6% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,414 vs. $13,632)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Rhode Island College (100% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students is 20% larger than aid received Rhode Island College ($9,044 vs. $7,537)

MCLA vs. RIC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 103 points higher than at RIC (913)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at RIC (19)
  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at RIC (3.08)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than RIC (87.5%)

MCLA vs. RIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Rhode Island College (53% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island College earn on average $4,900 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $37,100)
  • Rhode Island College students graduate with a $3,459 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($21,200 vs. $24,659)
  • RIC graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($219 vs. $254)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIC students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 59%)

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