University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. MCLA

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

University of Massachusetts-Lowell MCLA
Location Lowell, MA North Adams, MA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 17,153 938
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #406
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell MCLA
Tuition (In State) $15,462 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $33,830 $9,975
Room & Board $13,930 $13,632
Avg Net Price $17,240 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $11,983 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,253 1,456
Admitted 10,532 1,346
Acceptance Rate 86% 92.4%
Enrolled % 18.4% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Difficult Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/31 17/21
SAT Range 1170/1348 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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell MCLA
Graduation Rate 50% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $258 $254

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell MCLA
% Men 57% 42%
% Women 43% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 74%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell MCLA
% In-State 87% 55%
% Out-of-State 10% 45%

Campus

University of Massachusetts-Lowell MCLA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (17,153 students vs. 938 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or MCLA?

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is 1,401.2% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($15,462.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 239.1% higher at University of Massachusetts-Lowell than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($33,830.00 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell ($15,377 vs. $17,240)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 2.2% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Lowell ($13,632 vs. $13,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than University of Massachusetts Lowell (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Lowell students is 32.5% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($11,983 vs. $9,044)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Lowell (1197) is 181 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than University of Massachusetts-Lowell (86%)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (53% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Lowell earn on average $18,200 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $341 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($24,659 vs. $25,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($254 vs. $258)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 63%)

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