MCLA vs. Wheaton College

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

 MCLA Wheaton College
Location North Adams, MA Norton, MA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 1,667
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #180
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu wheatoncollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Wheaton College
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $59,750
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $59,750
Room & Board $13,632 $14,800
Avg Net Price $15,377 $32,863
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $41,665
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 MCLA Wheaton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 4,031
Admitted 1,346 3,204
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 79.5%
Enrolled % 13.2% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.48
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 27/33
SAT Range 960/1180 1260/1390
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 MCLA Wheaton 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%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Psychology (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Ethnic Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Wheaton College
Graduation Rate 53% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $254 $268

Diversity

 MCLA Wheaton College
% Men 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 67%
% Black 9% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 MCLA Wheaton College
% In-State 55% 38%
% Out-of-State 45% 57%

Campus

 MCLA Wheaton College
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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (1,667 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Wheaton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Wheaton College?

  • Wheaton College is 5,701% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($59,750.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 499% higher at Wheaton College than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($59,750.00 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 Wheaton College ($15,377 vs. $32,863)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 8.6% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($13,632 vs. $14,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Wheaton College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 360.7% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($41,665 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Wheaton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Wheaton College (79.5%)

MCLA vs. Wheaton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (77% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $16,600 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $1,341 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($24,659 vs. $26,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($254 vs. $268)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 63%)

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