MHC vs. MCAD

Should I go to Mount Holyoke College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MHC or MCAD 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. 

Smith College Bryn Mawr Wellesley Brandeis University Barnard BU Oberlin Skidmore College Vassar Trinity College Amherst BC
Mount Holyoke College vs. Minneapolis College of Art and Design comparison
Mount Holyoke College Minneapolis College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Mount Holyoke College Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 MHC MCAD
Location South Hadley, MA Minneapolis, MN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,330 824
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #89
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtholyoke.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MHC MCAD
Tuition (In State) $63,904 $43,374
Tuition (Out of State) $63,904 $43,374
Room & Board $18,838 $10,910
Avg Net Price $35,782 $27,031
Avg Grant Aid $41,823 $27,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 100%

Admission

 MHC MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,030 885
Admitted 1,926 428
Acceptance Rate 38.3% 48.4%
Enrolled % 30.5% 39.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 31/33 20/24
SAT Range 1350/1500 1110/1430
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 Jan 15, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 MHC MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 MHC MCAD
Graduation Rate 85% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,206 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $219 $266

Diversity

 MHC MCAD
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 4% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 59%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 26% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 16%

Students

 MHC MCAD
% In-State 17% 65%
% Out-of-State 58% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mount Holyoke College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (2,330 students vs. 824 students)

MHC vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MHC or MCAD?

  • Mount Holyoke College is 47.3% more expensive to attend than MCAD for in-state tuition ($63,904.00 vs. $43,374.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.3% higher at MHC than Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($63,904.00 vs. $43,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than MHC ($27,031 vs. $35,782)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 72.7% lower than costs at Mount Holyoke College ($10,910 vs. $18,838)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Mount Holyoke College (100% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Holyoke College students is 50.8% larger than aid received Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($41,823 vs. $27,729)

MHC vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman MHC students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • MCAD has a higher acceptance rate (48.4%) than MHC (38.3%)

MHC vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MHC or MCAD? 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 MCAD and MHC.

  • The graduation rate at MHC is higher than Minneapolis College of Art and Design (85% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Mount Holyoke College earn on average $8,500 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $41,500)
  • Mount Holyoke College students graduate with a $4,544 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($21,206 vs. $25,750)
  • MHC graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($219 vs. $266)
  • More MHC 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/