Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) vs Dickinson College

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Dickinson College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, nestled in the heart of North Adams, Massachusetts, is a public liberal arts college known for its commitment to affordability and accessibility, with an acceptance rate of 88%. Dickinson College, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, is a private liberal arts college renowned for its rigorous academics and vibrant campus life, with an acceptance rate of 33%. While both colleges offer a diverse range of majors, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts excels in fields like psychology, business, and education, while Dickinson College is known for its strengths in history, political science, and international studies. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about the differences in student body demographics, graduation rates, and other key factors that can help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Dickinson College logo

Dickinson College

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts logo

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Overview

Location Carlisle, Pennsylvania North Adams, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Small Town: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 92.0% 63.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 48.1% 91.0%
Application fees $65 $50
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 6,366 1,371
Total number of admissions given out 3,061 1,247
Admitted students who chose to enroll 677 167
Yield rate 22.1% 13.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $77,300
In state: $25,928

Out of state: $34,873
Average net price $20,913 $14,902
Tuition $58,158
In state: $1,030

Out of state: $9,975
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,866

Meal plan: $7,386
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)

92.0%
Average amount $39,555
99.0%
Average amount $8,496
Students receiving federal student loan 41.0%
Average amount $3,696
97.0%
Average amount $3,734
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $9,232
12.0%
Average amount $9,492

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,180
Men 42.1% Women 57.9%
870
Men 39.2% Women 60.8%
Graduate students 6
Men 33.3% Women 66.7%
124
Men 33.1% Women 66.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 12.3% N/A
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 2,118 1,020
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Mississippi New York Vermont Connecticut Rhode Island

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Education
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 82.4% 58.4%
Dropout rate 17.6% 41.6%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,304
  • Year 2: $51,750
  • Year 3: $73,244
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,684
  • Year 2: $50,320
  • Year 3: $56,449
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $48,823
  • Year 3: $55,723
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $49,550
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,461
  • Year 2: $30,409
  • Year 3: $48,836
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,322
  • Year 2: $40,737
  • Year 3: $43,711
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $43,177
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,473
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: $42,465
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $40,634
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,617
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: $38,644
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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