TU vs. MCLA

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

 TU MCLA
Location Towson, MD North Adams, MA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 19,793 938
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #445
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website towson.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 TU MCLA
Tuition (In State) $7,238 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $23,240 $9,975
Room & Board $13,642 $13,632
Avg Net Price $14,443 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $11,415 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 100%

Admission

 TU MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,770 1,456
Admitted 13,967 1,346
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 92.4%
Enrolled % 19.1% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 17/21
SAT Range 1010/1230 960/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 TU MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 TU MCLA
Graduation Rate 64% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $183 $254

Diversity

 TU MCLA
% Men 39% 42%
% Women 61% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 74%
% Black 18% 9%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 TU MCLA
% In-State 89% 55%
% Out-of-State 8% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Towson University is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (19,793 students vs. 938 students)

TU vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TU or MCLA?

  • Towson University is 602.7% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($7,238.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 133% higher at TU than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($23,240.00 vs. $9,975.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than MCLA ($14,443 vs. $15,377)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 0.1% lower than costs at Towson University ($13,632 vs. $13,642)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Towson University (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 26.2% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($11,415 vs. $9,044)

TU vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 65 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming TU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than TU (78.6%)

TU vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TU or MCLA? 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 MCLA and TU.

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (64% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Towson University earn on average $16,400 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $37,100)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $6,909 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($17,750 vs. $24,659)
  • TU graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($183 vs. $254)
  • More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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