MCLA vs. SUNY Cortland

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

MCLA SUNY Cortland
Location North Adams, MA Cortland, NY
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 938 6,690
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #399
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu cortland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MCLA SUNY Cortland
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $16,980
Room & Board $13,632 $13,620
Avg Net Price $15,377 $18,304
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $9,369
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 73%

Admission

MCLA SUNY Cortland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 11,711
Admitted 1,346 7,001
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 59.8%
Enrolled % 13.2% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.7
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/21 22/27
SAT Range 960/1180 1090/1240
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 SUNY Cortland
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 (41%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (5%)

Outcomes

MCLA SUNY Cortland
Graduation Rate 53% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $47,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $254 $222

Diversity

MCLA SUNY Cortland
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 74%
% Black 9% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

MCLA SUNY Cortland
% In-State 55% 96%
% Out-of-State 45% 4%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY College at Cortland is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (6,690 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. SUNY Cortland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or SUNY Cortland?

  • SUNY College at Cortland is 586.4% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.2% higher at SUNY Cortland than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($16,980.00 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 SUNY Cortland ($15,377 vs. $18,304)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY College at Cortland are 0.1% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,620 vs. $13,632)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than SUNY College at Cortland (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Cortland students is 3.6% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($9,369 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. SUNY Cortland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SUNY Cortland 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 SUNY Cortland (59.8%)

MCLA vs. SUNY Cortland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCLA or SUNY Cortland? 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 SUNY Cortland and MCLA.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY Cortland is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (67% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College at Cortland earn on average $10,200 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($47,300 vs. $37,100)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $3,159 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,659)
  • SUNY Cortland graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($222 vs. $254)
  • More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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