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RPI Clark University Holy Cross RIT Stevens Northeastern Worcester State University UMass Purdue BU UConn Western New England University| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
MCLA | WPI | ||
| Location | North Adams, MA | Worcester, MA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 938 | 7,308 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mcla.edu | wpi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
MCLA | WPI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,030 | $56,000 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,975 | $56,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,632 | $16,544 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,377 | $46,876 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,044 | $27,059 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 96% |
Admission |
MCLA | WPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,456 | 11,599 | ||
| Admitted | 1,346 | 6,667 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 92.4% | 57.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.2% | 20.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.2 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 17/21 | |||
| SAT Range | 960/1180 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 15, 2025 |
Academics |
MCLA | WPI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
MCLA | WPI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 53% | 76% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $82,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 63% | 92% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,659 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $254 | $279 |
Diversity |
MCLA | WPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 64% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 36% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 74% | 63% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 12% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 6% |
Students |
MCLA | WPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 55% | 45% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 47% | ||
Campus |
MCLA | WPI | ||
| 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
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (7,308 students vs. 938 students)
MCLA vs. WPI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, MCLA or WPI?
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 5,336.9% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($56,000.00 vs. $1,030.00)
- Out of state tuition is 461.4% higher at WPI than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($56,000.00 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 WPI ($15,377 vs. $46,876)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 21.4% lower than costs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($13,632 vs. $16,544)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Worcester Polytechnic Institute (100% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students is 199.2% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($27,059 vs. $9,044)
MCLA vs. WPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, MCLA or WPI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WPI or MCLA .
- 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 (92.4%) than WPI (57.5%)
MCLA vs. WPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, MCLA or WPI? 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 WPI and MCLA.
- The graduation rate at WPI is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (76% vs. 53%)
- Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn on average $45,600 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($82,700 vs. $37,100)
- Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $2,341 lower median federal student loan debt than WPI graduates. ($24,659 vs. $27,000)
- MCLA graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans 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/