MCLA vs. WPI

Deciding between Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Worcester Polytechnic Institute? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • MCLA North Adams, MA
  • WPI Worcester, MA
  • Setting
  • MCLA Distant Town
  • WPI Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • MCLA 896
  • WPI 7,584
  • Type
  • MCLA Public 4 Year
  • WPI Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • MCLA
  • WPI
  • Religious Affiliation
  • MCLA -
  • WPI -
  • Status
  • MCLA Non-profit
  • WPI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • MCLA
  • WPI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • MCLA $12,436
  • WPI $60,965
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • MCLA $21,381
  • WPI $60,965
  • Room & Board
  • MCLA $15,386
  • WPI $18,386
  • Average Net Price
  • MCLA $16,544
  • WPI $47,372
  • Average Grant Aid
  • MCLA $9,045
  • WPI $31,545
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • MCLA 99%
  • WPI 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • MCLA 1,208
  • WPI 12,559
  • Admitted
  • MCLA 1,084
  • WPI 7,555
  • Acceptance Rate
  • MCLA 89.7%
  • WPI 60.2%
  • Enrolled
  • MCLA 11.5%
  • WPI 18.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • MCLA 1070
  • WPI
  • Typical ACT score
  • MCLA 19
  • WPI
  • Average High School GPA
  • MCLA 3.2
  • WPI 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • MCLA B+
  • WPI A
  • Admissions Standards
  • MCLA Extremely Easy
  • WPI Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • MCLA
  • WPI Low
  • ACT Range
  • MCLA 17/21
  • WPI
  • SAT Range
  • MCLA 960/1180
  • WPI
  • Submit Test Scores
  • MCLA Test-free
  • WPI Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • MCLA
  • WPI Feb 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • MCLA 8:1
  • WPI 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • MCLA
    • English and Literature (20%)
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (15%)
    • General Studies (10%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • WPI
    • Engineering (61%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • General Studies (5%)
    • Business (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • MCLA 53%
  • WPI 76%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • MCLA $37,100
  • WPI $82,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • MCLA 63%
  • WPI 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • MCLA $24,659
  • WPI $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • MCLA $254
  • WPI $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • MCLA 43%
  • WPI 68%
  • % Women
  • MCLA 57%
  • WPI 32%
  • Racial Diversity
  • MCLA Low
  • WPI Medium
  • HBCU
  • MCLA No
  • WPI No
  • % White
  • MCLA 74%
  • WPI 63%
  • % Asian
  • MCLA 2%
  • WPI 5%
  • % Black
  • MCLA 9%
  • WPI 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • MCLA 8%
  • WPI 8%
  • % Native American
  • MCLA 1%
  • WPI 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • MCLA 0%
  • WPI 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • MCLA 3%
  • WPI 3%
  • % International
  • MCLA 0%
  • WPI 12%
  • % Unknown Race
  • MCLA 4%
  • WPI 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • MCLA 63%
  • WPI 48%
  • % Out-of-State
  • MCLA 36%
  • WPI 48%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • MCLA Yes
  • WPI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • MCLA No
  • WPI No
  • Meal Plan
  • MCLA Yes
  • WPI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • MCLA Yes
  • WPI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • MCLA No
  • WPI No

Comparable Facts

Compare Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA with Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than MCLA based on total student enrollment (7,584 students vs. 896 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is located in North Adams, MA (Distant Town setting); Worcester Polytechnic Institute is in Worcester, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 8:1; Worcester Polytechnic Institute 13:1.

MCLA vs. WPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or WPI? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than WPI ($16,544 vs. $47,372).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 16.3% lower than at Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($15,386 vs. $18,386).
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 390.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than MCLA (about $48,529 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $12,436.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 185.1% higher at WPI than at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (about $39,584 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $21,381.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute than at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (100% vs. 99%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students is 248.8% larger than aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students ($31,545 vs. $9,045).

MCLA vs. WPI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MCLA or WPI? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between WPI and MCLA.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 960/1180.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 17/21.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: MCLA - Test-free; WPI - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: WPI Feb 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman WPI students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at MCLA (3.2).
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than WPI (60.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.5% at MCLA vs. 18.1% at WPI.

MCLA vs. WPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MCLA and WPI? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts's (53%).
  • Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $45,600 more per year than MCLA graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,700 vs. $37,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduates have a $2,341 lower median loan debt than WPI graduates ($24,659 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, MCLA graduates have an estimated $25 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WPI graduates ($254 vs. $279).
  • More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.