UMass vs. Lafayette College

Should I go to University of Massachusetts Amherst or Lafayette College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMass or Lafayette 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Lehigh UConn Bucknell UVM Penn State Villanova Rutgers UMass Dartmouth BU UD University of Massachusetts-Lowell Binghamton University
University of Massachusetts Amherst vs. Lafayette College comparison
University of Massachusetts Amherst Lafayette College College 3 College 4
University of Massachusetts Amherst Lafayette College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UMass Lafayette College
Location Amherst, MA Easton, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 32,229 2,729
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #176 #65
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umass.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMass Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $16,186 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $37,405 $58,110
Room & Board $14,123 $17,336
Avg Net Price $22,291 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $12,350 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 98%

Admission

 UMass Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,451 10,500
Admitted 28,871 3,531
Acceptance Rate 63.5% 33.6%
Enrolled % 19.4% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.99 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 29/33 30/33
SAT Range 1260/1480 1330/1480
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 UMass Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 UMass Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 67% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,200 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $268

Diversity

 UMass Lafayette College
% Men 49% 50%
% Women 51% 50%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 67%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 9%
% Unknown Race 8% 7%

Students

 UMass Lafayette College
% In-State 65% 16%
% Out-of-State 24% 76%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (32,229 students vs. 2,729 students)

UMass vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 259% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($58,110.00 vs. $16,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.4% higher at Lafayette College than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($58,110.00 vs. $37,405.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Lafayette College ($22,291 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 22.8% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($14,123 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than University of Massachusetts Amherst (98% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 102.3% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($24,981 vs. $12,350)

UMass vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 68 points higher than at UMass (1226)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UMass (28)
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than Lafayette College (33.6%)

UMass vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMass or Lafayette 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 Lafayette College and UMass.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (88% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $25,800 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $55,200)
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($24,000 vs. $26,000)
  • UMass graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($248 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 76%)

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