MCLA vs. Canisius

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

 MCLA Canisius
Location North Adams, MA Buffalo, NY
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 938 2,492
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #376
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu canisius.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA Canisius
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $30,180
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $30,180
Room & Board $13,632 $12,158
Avg Net Price $15,377 $19,635
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $21,215
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 MCLA Canisius
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 4,131
Admitted 1,346 3,211
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 77.7%
Enrolled % 13.2% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.7
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 22/28
SAT Range 960/1180 1050/1320
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 MCLA Canisius
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 MCLA Canisius
Graduation Rate 53% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $49,900
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $24,750
Median Loan Payment $254 $255

Diversity

 MCLA Canisius
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 73%
% Black 9% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 MCLA Canisius
% In-State 55% 79%
% Out-of-State 45% 15%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Canisius College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,492 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. Canisius Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or Canisius?

  • Canisius College is 2,830.1% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($30,180.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 202.6% higher at Canisius than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($30,180.00 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 Canisius ($15,377 vs. $19,635)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Canisius College are 12.1% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($12,158 vs. $13,632)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts as Canisius College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Canisius College students is 134.6% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($21,215 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. Canisius Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Canisius College (1078) is 62 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming Canisius students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman Canisius students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Canisius (77.7%)

MCLA vs. Canisius Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCLA or Canisius? 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 Canisius and MCLA.

  • The graduation rate at Canisius is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (67% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Canisius College earn on average $12,800 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($49,900 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $91 lower median federal student loan debt than Canisius graduates. ($24,659 vs. $24,750)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Canisius graduates. ($254 vs. $255)
  • More Canisius graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 63%)

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