# Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA)

Public college in North Adams, MA. IPEDS ID 167288.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/massachusetts-college-of-liberal-arts · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/massachusetts-college-of-liberal-arts.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 90% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $16,068 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 56%; beats 29% of MA colleges and 54% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $48,102; beats 15% of MA colleges and 35% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $15,750

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $9,845 |
| 30-48k | $10,762 |
| 48-75k | $13,250 |
| 75-110k | $15,958 |
| 110k+ | $22,698 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, in-state. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.24 years on average (39% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $48,102 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $26,026 in-state; about $34,971 out-of-state
- Tuition and fees: $12,436 in-state, $21,381 out-of-state
- Housing and meals: $14,634; books: $1,000

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: not reported; SAT math: not reported; ACT: not reported (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 1,543 applicants, 1,425 admitted, 191 enrolled; test scores not considered
- Fall 2024: acceptance 90%, ACT not reported (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 92%, ACT not reported (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (22 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $80,332 | $87,671 | $22,500 |
| Business Administration | $39,369 | $53,753 | $25,750 |
| Biology | not reported | $52,808 | not reported |
| Psychology | $32,855 | $49,826 | $25,824 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $35,293 | $47,162 | $26,000 |
| Sociology | $38,631 | $44,136 | $27,000 |
| Arts and Entertainment Management | $18,675 | $42,983 | $25,000 |
| English | $29,677 | $39,955 | $26,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Communications | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education | $39,375 | not reported | $25,000 |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Visual and Performing Arts | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health Sciences | not reported | not reported | $26,000 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Health | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage $125,010 (Pittsfield, MA), $134,720 (MA), $101,860 (U.S.)
- Biology → Biological technician: median wage not reported (Pittsfield, MA), $62,070 (MA), $57,510 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).