MCLA vs. John Jay

Comparable Facts

Compare Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA with CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is larger than MCLA based on total student enrollment (13,763 students vs. 896 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is located in North Adams, MA (Distant Town setting); CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 8:1; CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice 16:1.

MCLA vs. John Jay Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or John Jay? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice than MCLA ($4,082 vs. $16,544).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 30.9% lower than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($15,386 vs. $22,260).
• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is 66.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than John Jay (about $4,966 more per year; $12,436.00 vs. $7,470.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 38.7% higher at MCLA than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (about $5,961 more per year; $21,381.00 vs. $15,420.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (99% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice students is 10.2% larger than aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students ($9,966 vs. $9,045).

MCLA vs. John Jay Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MCLA or John Jay? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between John Jay and MCLA.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (1080) is 10 points higher than at MCLA (1070).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 960/1180; CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice 930/1220.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 17/21.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: MCLA - Test-free; John Jay - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman John Jay students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.24) than students at MCLA (3.2).
• MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than John Jay (57.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.5% at MCLA vs. 19.4% at John Jay.

MCLA vs. John Jay Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MCLA and John Jay? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts's six-year graduation rate (53%) is higher than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice's (39%).
• Graduates from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice earn a median of about $10,800 more per year than MCLA graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,900 vs. $37,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice graduates have a $14,659 lower median loan debt than MCLA graduates ($10,000 vs. $24,659).
• Among borrowers, John Jay graduates have an estimated $151 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than MCLA graduates ($103 vs. $254).
• More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former John Jay students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.