Fitchburg State vs. MCLA

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

Fitchburg State MCLA
Location Fitchburg, MA North Adams, MA
Setting Midsize Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 6,554 938
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #549
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fitchburgstate.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fitchburg State MCLA
Tuition (In State) $970 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $9,975
Room & Board $13,516 $13,632
Avg Net Price $15,535 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $7,093 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 100%

Admission

Fitchburg State MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,084 1,456
Admitted 2,654 1,346
Acceptance Rate 86.1% 92.4%
Enrolled % 18.3% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.2
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Average Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 17/21
SAT Range 1020/1220 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

Academics

Fitchburg State MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

Fitchburg State MCLA
Graduation Rate 47% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,685 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $234 $254

Diversity

Fitchburg State MCLA
% Men 38% 42%
% Women 62% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 74%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Fitchburg State MCLA
% In-State 90% 55%
% Out-of-State 10% 45%

Campus

Fitchburg State 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

  • Fitchburg State University is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (6,554 students vs. 938 students)

Fitchburg State vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fitchburg State or MCLA?

  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is 6.2% more expensive to attend than Fitchburg State for in-state tuition ($1,030.00 vs. $970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.5% higher at MCLA than Fitchburg State University ($9,975.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Fitchburg State ($15,377 vs. $15,535)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fitchburg State University are 0.9% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,516 vs. $13,632)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Fitchburg State University (100% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students is 27.5% larger than aid received Fitchburg State University ($9,044 vs. $7,093)

Fitchburg State vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 23 points higher than at Fitchburg State (993)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Fitchburg State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Fitchburg State students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.29) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Fitchburg State (86.1%)

Fitchburg State vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fitchburg State 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 Fitchburg State.

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Fitchburg State University (53% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Fitchburg State University earn on average $6,900 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($44,000 vs. $37,100)
  • Fitchburg State University students graduate with a $1,974 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($22,685 vs. $24,659)
  • Fitchburg State graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($234 vs. $254)
  • More Fitchburg State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 63%)

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