MCLA vs. URI

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

MCLA URI
Location North Adams, MA Kingston, RI
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 938 17,473
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #361
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcla.edu uri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MCLA URI
Tuition (In State) $1,030 $13,586
Tuition (Out of State) $9,975 $32,068
Room & Board $13,632 $13,584
Avg Net Price $15,377 $20,695
Avg Grant Aid $9,044 $13,257
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

MCLA URI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,456 25,481
Admitted 1,346 19,465
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 76.4%
Enrolled % 13.2% 17.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.58
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 25/30
SAT Range 960/1180 1050/1270
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024

Academics

MCLA URI
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

MCLA URI
Graduation Rate 53% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,659 $23,438
Median Loan Payment $254 $242

Diversity

MCLA URI
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 71%
% Black 9% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 9%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

MCLA URI
% In-State 55% 40%
% Out-of-State 45% 59%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Rhode Island is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (17,473 students vs. 938 students)

MCLA vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MCLA or URI?

  • University of Rhode Island is 1,219% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($13,586.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 221.5% higher at URI than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($32,068.00 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 URI ($15,377 vs. $20,695)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Rhode Island are 0.4% lower than costs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,584 vs. $13,632)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than University of Rhode Island (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rhode Island students is 46.6% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($13,257 vs. $9,044)

MCLA vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Rhode Island (1077) is 61 points higher than at MCLA (1016)
  • Incoming URI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at MCLA (23)
  • Accepted freshman URI students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than URI (76.4%)

MCLA vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at URI is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (63% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn on average $19,100 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $37,100)
  • University of Rhode Island students graduate with a $1,221 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($23,438 vs. $24,659)
  • URI graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($242 vs. $254)
  • More URI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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