MCLA vs. Buffalo State College

Should I go to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts or SUNY College at Buffalo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MCLA or Buffalo State 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UB University of Massachusetts-Boston University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Brockport Binghamton University UWM SUNY at Fredonia Ithaca College SUNY Stony Brook Morrisville SUNY College at Plattsburgh SUNY Cortland
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts vs. SUNY College at Buffalo comparison
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts SUNY College at Buffalo College 3 College 4
SUNY College at Buffalo
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 MCLA Buffalo State College
Location North Adams, MA Buffalo, NY
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 938 6,445
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #665
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu buffalostate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Buffalo State College
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $16,980
Room & Board $13,632 $14,386
Avg Net Price $15,377 $13,812
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $10,756
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

 MCLA Buffalo State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 12,292
Admitted 1,346 10,569
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 86%
Enrolled % 13.2% 11.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 2.84
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 960/1180 940/1178
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 MCLA Buffalo State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Buffalo State College
Graduation Rate 53% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $21,409
Median Loan Payment $254 $221

Diversity

 MCLA Buffalo State College
% Men 42% 41%
% Women 58% 59%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 51%
% Black 9% 28%
% Hispanic 8% 12%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 MCLA Buffalo State College
% In-State 55% 96%
% Out-of-State 45% 3%

Campus

 MCLA Buffalo State College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY College at Buffalo is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (6,445 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Buffalo State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Buffalo State College?

  • SUNY College at Buffalo 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 Buffalo State 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 SUNY College at Buffalo than MCLA ($13,812 vs. $15,377)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 5.5% lower than costs at SUNY College at Buffalo ($13,632 vs. $14,386)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than SUNY College at Buffalo (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Buffalo students is 18.9% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($10,756 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Buffalo State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 115 points higher than at Buffalo State College (901)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Buffalo State College (19)
  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at Buffalo State College (2.84)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Buffalo State College (86%)

MCLA vs. Buffalo State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCLA or Buffalo State 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 Buffalo State College and MCLA.

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than SUNY College at Buffalo (53% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College at Buffalo earn on average $3,600 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($40,700 vs. $37,100)
  • SUNY College at Buffalo students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($21,409 vs. $24,659)
  • Buffalo State College graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($221 vs. $254)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Buffalo State College 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/