Alma College vs. MCAD

Should I go to Alma College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alma College 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.
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Alma College vs. Minneapolis College of Art and Design comparison
Alma College Minneapolis College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Alma College Minneapolis College of Art and Design
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Overview

 Alma College MCAD
Location Alma, MI Minneapolis, MN
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,260 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alma.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Alma College MCAD
Tuition (In State) $45,346 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $45,346 $42,110
Room & Board $12,624 $7,290
Avg Net Price $23,995 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $34,736 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Alma College MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,372 668
Admitted 2,180 380
Acceptance Rate 64.7% 56.9%
Enrolled % 15.3% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/27
SAT Range 1170/1380
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 Alma College MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Alma College MCAD
Graduation Rate 67% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $279 $266

Diversity

 Alma College MCAD
% Men 47% 31%
% Women 53% 69%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 59%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 16%

Students

 Alma College MCAD
% In-State 90% 61%
% Out-of-State 6% 34%

Campus

 Alma College 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

  • Alma College is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (1,260 students vs. 821 students)

Alma College vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alma College or MCAD?

  • Alma College is 7.7% more expensive to attend than MCAD for in-state tuition ($45,346.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.7% higher at Alma College than Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($45,346.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Alma College than MCAD ($23,995 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 73.2% lower than costs at Alma College ($7,290 vs. $12,624)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Alma College as Minneapolis College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 33.5% larger than aid received Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($34,736 vs. $26,025)

Alma College vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Alma College (1110) is 14 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Alma College students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Alma College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • Alma College has a higher acceptance rate (64.7%) than MCAD (56.9%)

Alma College vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alma College 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 Alma College.

  • The graduation rate at MCAD is higher than Alma College (70% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Alma College earn on average $6,800 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $41,500)
  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Alma College graduates. ($25,750 vs. $27,000)
  • MCAD graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Alma College graduates. ($266 vs. $279)
  • More Alma College 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/