AIC vs. MCLA

Should I go to American International College or Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AIC 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Dean College Western New England University UMass Dartmouth UMass Westfield State University RIC Wheaton College MIT SCSU Lesley University Lasell College
American International College vs. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts comparison
American International College Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 AIC MCLA
Location Springfield, MA North Adams, MA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,010 938
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #945
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website aic.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AIC MCLA
Tuition (In State) $40,550 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $40,550 $9,975
Room & Board $15,130 $13,632
Avg Net Price $18,317 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $35,061 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

 AIC MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,707 1,456
Admitted 2,419 1,346
Acceptance Rate 89.4% 92.4%
Enrolled % 13.7% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 2.91 3.2
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 940/1110 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 Sep 7, 2023

Academics

 AIC MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 AIC MCLA
Graduation Rate 36% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $279 $254

Diversity

 AIC MCLA
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 39% 74%
% Black 25% 9%
% Hispanic 14% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 14% 4%

Students

 AIC MCLA
% In-State 48% 55%
% Out-of-State 47% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • American International College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,010 students vs. 938 students)

AIC vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AIC or MCLA?

  • American International College is 3,836.9% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($40,550.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 306.5% higher at AIC than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($40,550.00 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 AIC ($15,377 vs. $18,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 11% lower than costs at American International College ($13,632 vs. $15,130)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than American International College (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American International College students is 287.7% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($35,061 vs. $9,044)

AIC vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 129 points higher than at AIC (887)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at AIC (20)
  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at AIC (2.91)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than AIC (89.4%)

AIC vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AIC 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 AIC.

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than American International College (53% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from American International College earn on average $9,300 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $2,341 lower median federal student loan debt than AIC graduates. ($24,659 vs. $27,000)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than AIC graduates. ($254 vs. $279)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AIC students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 49%)

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