Massachusetts College of Art and Design vs. Nichols

Comparable Facts

Compare Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, MA with Nichols College in Dudley, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design is larger than Nichols based on total student enrollment (1,989 students vs. 1,392 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Massachusetts College of Art and Design is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); Nichols College is in Dudley, MA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Nichols College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Massachusetts College of Art and Design 9:1; Nichols College 15:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Nichols College are 18.6% lower than at Massachusetts College of Art and Design ($15,800 vs. $19,412).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.6% higher at Massachusetts College of Art and Design than at Nichols College (about $695 more per year; $43,400 vs. $42,705).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Nichols College than at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (99% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Nichols College students is 147.7% larger than aid received by Massachusetts College of Art and Design students ($25,809 vs. $10,421).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, open admission at Nichols.
• Typical fall application deadline: Massachusetts College of Art and Design Feb 1, 2027.
• Enrolled first-year students at Massachusetts College of Art and Design average a 3.53 high school GPA, 0.63 higher than at Nichols (2.9).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at Massachusetts College of Art and Design vs. 18.1% at Nichols.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Massachusetts College of Art and Design graduates have a $1,750 lower median loan debt than Nichols graduates ($25,250 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Massachusetts College of Art and Design graduates have an estimated $18 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Nichols graduates ($261 vs. $279).
• More Nichols graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Massachusetts College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation (68% vs. 64%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.