MCLA vs. SUNY-ESF

Should I go to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts or SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MCLA or SUNY-ESF 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 of Environmental Science and Forestry comparison
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry College 3 College 4
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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Overview

 MCLA SUNY-ESF
Location North Adams, MA Syracuse, NY
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 938 1,976
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #206
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu esf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MCLA SUNY-ESF
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $18,720
Room & Board $13,632 $17,300
Avg Net Price $15,377 $20,928
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $8,713
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 89%

Admission

 MCLA SUNY-ESF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 2,466
Admitted 1,346 1,714
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 69.5%
Enrolled % 13.2% 20.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.7
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/21 24/30
SAT Range 960/1180 1130/1300
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 MCLA SUNY-ESF
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Biology (38%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (37%)
  • Architecture (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Construction Trades (4%)

Outcomes

 MCLA SUNY-ESF
Graduation Rate 53% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $254 $204

Diversity

 MCLA SUNY-ESF
% Men 42% 49%
% Women 58% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 82%
% Black 9% 1%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 MCLA SUNY-ESF
% In-State 55% 76%
% Out-of-State 45% 23%

Campus

 MCLA SUNY-ESF
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

  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (1,976 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. SUNY-ESF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or SUNY-ESF?

  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry 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 87.7% higher at SUNY-ESF than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($18,720.00 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-ESF ($15,377 vs. $20,928)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 26.9% lower than costs at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($13,632 vs. $17,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (100% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students is 3.8% larger than aid received SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($9,044 vs. $8,713)

MCLA vs. SUNY-ESF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (1215) is 199 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming SUNY-ESF students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman SUNY-ESF 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-ESF (69.5%)

MCLA vs. SUNY-ESF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MCLA or SUNY-ESF? 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-ESF and MCLA.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY-ESF is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (66% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry earn on average $9,100 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $37,100)
  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students graduate with a $4,909 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($19,750 vs. $24,659)
  • SUNY-ESF graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($204 vs. $254)
  • More SUNY-ESF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 63%)

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