More selective than 11% of Massachusetts colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,026. College Scorecard.
Higher than 29% of Massachusetts colleges we cover and 54% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 15% of Massachusetts colleges we cover and 35% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
MCLA acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,543 applicants, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts admitted 1,425 and 191 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
MCLA tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Massachusetts residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What MCLA costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Massachusetts. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,845 | $41,743 | 5.1 years |
| $30–48k | $10,762 | $45,631 | 5.5 years |
| $48–75k | $13,250 | $56,180 | 6.8 years |
| $75–110k | $15,958 | $67,662 | 8.2 years |
| $110k+ | $22,698 | $96,240 | 11.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (39% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($48,102) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $8,222 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
MCLA majors, earnings & careers
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts offers 22 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 3
- Business & Finance · 1
- Communications & Media · 1
- Education · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at MCLA
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $87,671 | $22,500 |
| Business Administration | $53,753 | $25,750 |
| Biology | $52,808 | — |
| Psychology | $49,826 | $25,824 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $47,162 | $26,000 |
| Sociology | $44,136 | $27,000 |
| Arts and Entertainment Management | $42,983 | $25,000 |
| English | $39,955 | $26,000 |
Quick list of all 22 majors
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Arts and Entertainment Management$42,983
- Biology$52,808
- Business Administration$53,753
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences$87,671
- Education—
- English$39,955
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$47,162
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$49,826
- Public Health—
- Sociology$44,136
- Studio Art—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Pittsfield
Overall prices in the Pittsfield, MA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,704. Housing costs 27% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 42 inches of rain a year, 85 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Berkshire County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Berkshire County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare MCLA with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Massachusetts by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | 90% | $16,068 | 56% | $48,102 | This school |
| Fitchburg State University | 87% | $14,262 | 55% | $53,874 | |
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy | 95% | $21,582 | 74% | $82,392 | |
| Framingham State University | 84% | $16,114 | 48% | $52,349 | |
| Worcester State University | 88% | $13,381 | 61% | $60,624 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts would cost you $1,806 more per year than Fitchburg State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$1,090).
- Fitchburg State University gives aided families $1,335 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Massachusetts resident | MCLA | Fitchburg State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,436 | $11,346 | +$1,090 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $1,500 | −$500 |
| Housing & meals | $14,634 | $14,225 | +$409 |
| Personal & travel | $2,150 | $2,100 | +$50 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$4,194 | −$3,616 | −$578 |
| Sticker price | $26,026 | $25,555 | +$471 |
| Average grants | −$9,958 | −$11,293 | +$1,335 |
| You pay | $16,068 | $14,262 | +$1,806 |
“+” means MCLA costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about MCLA
What is the MCLA acceptance rate?
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts accepts 90% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,425 of 1,543 applicants were admitted.
How much does Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $26,026 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $16,068 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,845 and families earning $110k+ pay $22,698.
How much do MCLA graduates earn?
Former Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students earn a median $48,102 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the MCLA graduation rate?
56% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 76% return for their second year.
How long does a MCLA degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts costs about $56,180 after grants ($13,250 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $48,102 ten years after starting, $8,222 more than high school graduates in Massachusetts ($39,880), so the cost is repaid in 6.8 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/massachusetts-college-of-liberal-arts (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).