MCLA vs. KSC

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

MCLA KSC
Location North Adams, MA Keene, NH
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 938 2,872
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #747
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu keene.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MCLA KSC
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $11,754
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $22,663
Room & Board $13,632 $13,534
Avg Net Price $15,377 $19,546
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $10,085
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

MCLA KSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 4,487
Admitted 1,346 4,017
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 89.5%
Enrolled % 13.2% 17.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.1
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 24/25
SAT Range 960/1180 970/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 1, 2023

Academics

MCLA KSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

MCLA KSC
Graduation Rate 53% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $44,400
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $26,295
Median Loan Payment $254 $271

Diversity

MCLA KSC
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 86%
% Black 9% 1%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

MCLA KSC
% In-State 55% 46%
% Out-of-State 45% 54%

Campus

MCLA KSC
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

  • Keene State College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,872 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. KSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or KSC?

  • Keene State College is 1,041.2% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($11,754.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 127.2% higher at KSC than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($22,663.00 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 KSC ($15,377 vs. $19,546)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Keene State College are 0.7% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,534 vs. $13,632)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Keene State College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Keene State College students is 11.5% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($10,085 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. KSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 25 points higher than at KSC (991)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at KSC (22)
  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at KSC (3.1)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than KSC (89.5%)

MCLA vs. KSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at KSC is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (57% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Keene State College earn on average $7,300 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($44,400 vs. $37,100)
  • Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with a $1,636 lower median federal student loan debt than KSC graduates. ($24,659 vs. $26,295)
  • MCLA graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than KSC graduates. ($254 vs. $271)
  • More KSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 63%)

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