Bridgewater State vs. MCLA

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

Bridgewater State MCLA
Location Bridgewater, MA North Adams, MA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 9,604 938
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #674
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgew.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bridgewater State MCLA
Tuition (In State) $910 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $9,975
Room & Board $14,162 $13,632
Avg Net Price $17,225 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $8,616 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

Bridgewater State MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,807 1,456
Admitted 7,725 1,346
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 92.4%
Enrolled % 20.3% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.21 3.2
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 17/21
SAT Range 1030/1210 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, 2024

Academics

Bridgewater State MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (17%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

Bridgewater State MCLA
Graduation Rate 52% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,590 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $254 $254

Diversity

Bridgewater State MCLA
% Men 39% 42%
% Women 61% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 74%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Bridgewater State MCLA
% In-State 93% 55%
% Out-of-State 7% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater State University is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (9,604 students vs. 938 students)

Bridgewater State vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bridgewater State or MCLA?

  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is 13.2% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($1,030.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.5% higher at MCLA than Bridgewater 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 Bridgewater State ($15,377 vs. $17,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 3.9% lower than costs at Bridgewater State University ($13,632 vs. $14,162)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Bridgewater State University (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students is 5% larger than aid received Bridgewater State University ($9,044 vs. $8,616)

Bridgewater State vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 20 points higher than at Bridgewater State (996)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bridgewater State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Bridgewater State students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.21) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Bridgewater State (87.7%)

Bridgewater State vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bridgewater 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 Bridgewater State.

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than Bridgewater State University (53% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater State University earn on average $8,600 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $37,100)
  • Bridgewater State University students graduate with a $69 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($24,590 vs. $24,659)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Bridgewater State graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($254 vs. $254)
  • More Bridgewater State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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