Bentley vs. MCLA

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

 Bentley MCLA
Location Waltham, MA North Adams, MA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 5,165 938
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #113
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bentley.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bentley MCLA
Tuition (In State) $56,500 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $56,500 $9,975
Room & Board $18,660 $13,632
Avg Net Price $44,233 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $30,733 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 100%

Admission

 Bentley MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,662 1,456
Admitted 5,592 1,346
Acceptance Rate 57.9% 92.4%
Enrolled % 20.4% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32 17/21
SAT Range 1258/1420 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 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 Bentley MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • Mathematics (1%)
  • General Studies (1%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Bentley MCLA
Graduation Rate 88% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $87,200 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,500 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $274 $254

Diversity

 Bentley MCLA
% Men 59% 42%
% Women 41% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 74%
% Black 3% 9%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 14% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Bentley MCLA
% In-State 41% 55%
% Out-of-State 44% 45%

Campus

 Bentley 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

  • Bentley University is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (5,165 students vs. 938 students)

Bentley vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bentley or MCLA?

  • Bentley University is 5,385.4% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($56,500.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 466.4% higher at Bentley than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($56,500.00 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 Bentley ($15,377 vs. $44,233)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 36.9% lower than costs at Bentley University ($13,632 vs. $18,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Bentley University (100% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bentley University students is 239.8% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($30,733 vs. $9,044)

Bentley vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bentley University (1244) is 228 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming Bentley students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman Bentley students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Bentley (57.9%)

Bentley vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bentley 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 Bentley.

  • The graduation rate at Bentley is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (88% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Bentley University earn on average $50,100 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($87,200 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $1,841 lower median federal student loan debt than Bentley graduates. ($24,659 vs. $26,500)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Bentley graduates. ($254 vs. $274)
  • More Bentley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 63%)

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