MCAD vs. Houghton College

Should I go to Minneapolis College of Art and Design or Houghton College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MCAD or Houghton 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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Minneapolis College of Art and Design vs. Houghton College comparison
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Minneapolis College of Art and Design Houghton College
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Overview

MCAD Houghton College
Location Minneapolis, MN Houghton, NY
Setting Large City Remote Rural
Enrollment 824 1,014
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #447
Religious Affiliation - Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcad.edu houghton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MCAD Houghton College
Tuition (In State) $43,374 $16,690
Tuition (Out of State) $43,374 $16,690
Room & Board $10,910 $10,810
Avg Net Price $27,031 $22,358
Avg Grant Aid $27,729 $7,149
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

MCAD Houghton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 885 1,068
Admitted 428 990
Acceptance Rate 48.4% 92.7%
Enrolled % 39.5% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.25
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/24 23/28
SAT Range 1110/1430 1180/1390
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

MCAD Houghton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

MCAD Houghton College
Graduation Rate 70% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,500 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $266 $263

Diversity

MCAD Houghton College
% Men 4% 1%
% Women 10% 3%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 78%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 16% 1%

Students

MCAD Houghton College
% In-State 65% 57%
% Out-of-State 33% 43%

Campus

MCAD Houghton College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Houghton College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (1,014 students vs. 824 students)

MCAD vs. Houghton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCAD or Houghton College?

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design is 159.9% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($43,374.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 159.9% higher at MCAD than Houghton College ($43,374.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houghton College than MCAD ($22,358 vs. $27,031)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 0.9% lower than costs at Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($10,810 vs. $10,910)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design as Houghton College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minneapolis College of Art and Design students is 287.9% larger than aid received Houghton College ($27,729 vs. $7,149)

MCAD vs. Houghton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Houghton College (1110) is 14 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Houghton College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman MCAD students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.29) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than MCAD (48.4%)

MCAD vs. Houghton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCAD or Houghton 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 Houghton College and MCAD.

  • The graduation rate at MCAD is higher than Houghton College (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Houghton College earn on average $2,800 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($44,300 vs. $41,500)
  • Houghton College students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($25,500 vs. $25,750)
  • Houghton College graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($263 vs. $266)
  • More Houghton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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