MCLA vs. Purchase College

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

 MCLA Purchase College
Location North Adams, MA Purchase, NY
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 3,182
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #319
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $16,980
Room & Board $13,632 $14,948
Avg Net Price $15,377 $19,434
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $10,312
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 73%

Admission

 MCLA Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 5,747
Admitted 1,346 4,292
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 74.7%
Enrolled % 13.2% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.37
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 29/31
SAT Range 960/1180 1190/1350
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 MCLA Purchase College
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%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Purchase College
Graduation Rate 53% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $254 $232

Diversity

 MCLA Purchase College
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 55%
% Black 9% 10%
% Hispanic 8% 18%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

 MCLA Purchase College
% In-State 55% 85%
% Out-of-State 45% 14%

Campus

 MCLA Purchase 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

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (3,182 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Purchase College?

  • SUNY at Purchase College is 586.4% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.2% higher at Purchase College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($16,980.00 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 Purchase College ($15,377 vs. $19,434)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 9.7% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($13,632 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than SUNY at Purchase College (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 14% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($10,312 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 66 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman Purchase College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Purchase College (74.7%)

MCLA vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Purchase College is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (56% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Purchase College earn on average $3,100 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($40,200 vs. $37,100)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $2,159 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,659)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($232 vs. $254)
  • More Purchase College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 63%)

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