MCLA vs. SFC

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

 MCLA SFC
Location North Adams, MA Brooklyn Heights, NY
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 938 2,661
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #581
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu sfc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA SFC
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $27,188
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $27,188
Room & Board $13,632 $18,000
Avg Net Price $15,377 $18,602
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $17,294
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 MCLA SFC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 4,272
Admitted 1,346 3,600
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 84.3%
Enrolled % 13.2% 13.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 22/26
SAT Range 960/1180 990/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 MCLA SFC
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%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 MCLA SFC
Graduation Rate 53% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $50,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $24,425
Median Loan Payment $254 $252

Diversity

 MCLA SFC
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 40%
% Black 9% 19%
% Hispanic 8% 20%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 9%

Students

 MCLA SFC
% In-State 55% 77%
% Out-of-State 45% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • St. Francis College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,661 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. SFC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or SFC?

  • St. Francis College is 2,539.6% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($27,188.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 172.6% higher at SFC than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($27,188.00 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 SFC ($15,377 vs. $18,602)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 32% lower than costs at St. Francis College ($13,632 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than St. Francis College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St. Francis College students is 91.2% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($17,294 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. SFC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (1016) is 107 points higher than at SFC (909)
  • Incoming MCLA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at SFC (20)
  • Accepted freshman MCLA students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at SFC (2.9)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than SFC (84.3%)

MCLA vs. SFC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MCLA is higher than St. Francis College (53% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from St. Francis College earn on average $12,900 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $37,100)
  • St. Francis College students graduate with a $234 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($24,425 vs. $24,659)
  • SFC graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($252 vs. $254)
  • More MCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SFC students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 53%)

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