MHC vs. MCLA

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

 MHC MCLA
Location South Hadley, MA North Adams, MA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 2,392 938
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #85
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtholyoke.edu mcla.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MHC MCLA
Tuition (In State) $58,280 $1,030
Tuition (Out of State) $58,280 $9,975
Room & Board $17,180 $13,632
Avg Net Price $35,765 $15,377
Avg Grant Aid $39,304 $9,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

 MHC MCLA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,894 1,456
Admitted 1,946 1,346
Acceptance Rate 39.8% 92.4%
Enrolled % 28% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/34 17/21
SAT Range 1350/1540 960/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 MHC MCLA
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • English and Literature (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 MHC MCLA
Graduation Rate 85% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,000 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,206 $24,659
Median Loan Payment $219 $254

Diversity

 MHC MCLA
% Men 1% 42%
% Women 99% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 45% 74%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 26% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 MHC MCLA
% In-State 16% 55%
% Out-of-State 60% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mount Holyoke College is larger than than MCLA based on total student enrollment (2,392 students vs. 938 students)

MHC vs. MCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MHC or MCLA?

  • Mount Holyoke College is 5,558.3% more expensive to attend than MCLA for in-state tuition ($58,280.00 vs. $1,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 484.3% higher at MHC than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($58,280.00 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 MHC ($15,377 vs. $35,765)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are 26% lower than costs at Mount Holyoke College ($13,632 vs. $17,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts than Mount Holyoke College (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Holyoke College students is 334.6% larger than aid received Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($39,304 vs. $9,044)

MHC vs. MCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman MHC students have a 0.67 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at MCLA (3.2)
  • MCLA has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than MHC (39.8%)

MHC vs. MCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MHC is higher than Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (85% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Mount Holyoke College earn on average $12,900 more per year than MCLA graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $37,100)
  • Mount Holyoke College students graduate with a $3,453 lower median federal student loan debt than MCLA graduates. ($21,206 vs. $24,659)
  • MHC graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than MCLA graduates. ($219 vs. $254)
  • More MHC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCLA students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 63%)

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