Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) vs Macalester College

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Macalester College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, nestled in the heart of North Adams, Massachusetts, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Macalester College, located in the vibrant city of Saint Paul, Minnesota, stands out with its diverse student body, representing a multitude of backgrounds and perspectives. While Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts excels in the fields of Psychology and Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies, Macalester College shines in the areas of Economics, Political Science and Government, and Biology. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, ensuring that students are well-equipped for their future endeavors. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Macalester College	Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Overview
Location	Saint Paul, Minnesota	North Adams, Massachusetts
Campus setting	City: Large	Town: Fringe
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	96.0%	63.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Presbyterian

Admission
Acceptance rate	31.3%	91.0%
Application fees	$40	$50
SAT range	1340 - 1515	N/A
ACT range	29 - 33	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	35.0%
Students submitting ACT score	39.0%
Total number of applicants	9,046	1,371
Total number of admissions given out	2,828	1,247
Admitted students who chose to enroll	601	167
Yield rate	21.3%	13.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$76,357	In state: $25,928 Out of state: $34,873
Average net price	$30,939	$14,902
Tuition	$60,288	In state: $1,030 Out of state: $9,975
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,272 Meal plan: $6,270	Room/dormitory: $7,240 Meal plan: $5,044
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	87.0% Average amount $42,832	99.0% Average amount $8,496
Students receiving federal student loan	39.0% Average amount $4,799	97.0% Average amount $3,734
Students taking out private loans	29.0% Average amount $4,321	12.0% Average amount $9,492

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,244 Men 43.3% Women 56.7%	870 Men 39.2% Women 60.8%
Graduate students	N/A	124 Men 33.1% Women 66.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	13.5%	N/A
Campus local/setting	City: Large	Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	1,332	1,020
First year students are required to live on campus?	Yes	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Mississippi New York Vermont Connecticut Rhode Island

Academics
Popular study areas	Mathematics and Statistics Foreign Languages and Literatures Multidisciplinary Studies Social Sciences Computer and Information Science	Business Education Computer and Information Science Health Professions Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	10:1	9:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	89.7%	58.4%
Dropout rate	10.0%	41.6%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,163 Year 2: $64,493 Year 3: $72,135 Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,896 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $56,193 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,635 Year 2: $35,274 Year 3: $43,620 Geography and Cartography (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,253 Year 2: $32,569 Year 3: $39,047 International/Global Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $22,368 Year 2: $34,526 Year 3: $36,933 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,116 Year 2: $31,133 Year 3: $34,521 Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,444 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,508 Year 3: N/A Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $73,129 Year 2: $71,575 Year 3: N/A Education, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $33,281 Year 3: N/A	Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,895 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $73,830 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,172 Year 2: $34,467 Year 3: $40,733 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,359 Year 2: $27,181 Year 3: $40,148 Education, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $32,284 Year 3: $35,408 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,617 Year 2: $32,569 Year 3: $34,741 Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,798 Year 2: $31,828 Year 3: $32,817 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,438 Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: $32,425 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,231 Year 2: $29,374 Year 3: $31,158 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,032 Year 2: $43,798 Year 3: N/A Visual and Performing Arts, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,169 Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: N/A

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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) vs Macalester College

Macalester College

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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