Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
- Graduation Rate
- 52% C-
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $48,102 B-
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $16,068 C
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 90% D+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 21.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $21.4 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $21.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,310,029.
What The Data Says
-
A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Every $1 invested returns $21.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Matters
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a public liberal arts college in North Adams, MA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 713
- Setting
- Town
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Psychology, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Accessible — admits about 90% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $16,068 a year after grants and scholarships — 6% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $48,102 ten years after enrolling — 18% above the typical college, against $23,750 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 57% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.49 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of 90%, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams is a welcoming place for students seeking a supportive environment. This college is particularly suited for those interested in fields like Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Psychology, Social Sciences, and Visual & Performing Arts. The relatively small enrollment of 713 students means you're likely to find a tight-knit community where you can form meaningful connections with peers and faculty.
When it comes to life after graduation, the data tells a promising story. Graduates earn about $48,102 after ten years, which is a solid starting point for building a career. Many students here find success in their chosen fields, with a graduation rate of 52% indicating that while not everyone completes their degree, those who do are often able to move forward into rewarding jobs. Affordability is also a factor, with a net price of $16,068 making it accessible for many families, especially those receiving Pell Grants, which make up 41% of the student population.
In terms of the financial bottom line, students leave with a median debt of $23,750, which is manageable for many. This college tends to attract individuals who are motivated and ready to take charge of their education. If you appreciate a personalized learning experience and a focus on liberal arts, this could be a great fit for you.
Rankings
- #17 Best Communications Colleges in Massachusetts
- #24 Most Affordable Colleges in Massachusetts
- #27 Best Psychology Colleges in Massachusetts
- #30 Best Computer Science Colleges in Massachusetts
- #30 Best Biology Colleges in Massachusetts
- #30 Best Data Science Colleges in Massachusetts
- #32 Best Nursing Colleges in Massachusetts
- #34 Best Bachelor's Programs in Massachusetts
Can I Get In?
How selective Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in North Adams, Massachusetts, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 90%. The graduation rate is roughly 52%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Retention Rate
- 76%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 64%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,457
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 9:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.46
- First-Gen Students
- 33%
- Applicants
- 1,456
- Admitted
- 1,346
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is $21,381, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $16,068. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,845 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $23,750 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $12,436
- Out-of-State
- $21,381
- Avg Net Price
- $16,068
- Median Debt
- $23,750
- Pell Grant Rate
- 41%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 61%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,845
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $10,762
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $13,250
- Family Income $110K+
- $22,698
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts earn a median of $48,102, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,803
- 8 Years
- $45,267
- 10 Years
- $48,102
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.49x
- Earning > $25K
- 54%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (159)
- 45%
- 100% (159)
- 45%
- 100% (159)
- 45%
- 100% (159)
- 45%
How Massachusetts Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $16,068/year ($64,272 total). Graduates earn $48,102 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,374,301 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,310,029 (21.4× your investment). The median debt is $23,750, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 52% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $64,272
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,374,301
- Net Return
- $1,310,029
- ROI Multiple
- 21.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $16,068
- Median Debt
- $23,750
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 52%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.35%, well above the typical college. About 7.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $81,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.35%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 18.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 7.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $110,594
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $633,452
- Investment Income
- $31,776
Top Programs
The fields Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 15%
- Psychology 14% $33,550 early-career
- Business & Marketing 12% $40,953 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 8% $74,862 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 7% $29,935 early-career
- Social Sciences 7% $37,818 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 6% $32,296 early-career
- English & Literature 6% $38,698 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in North Adams, Massachusetts, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 90%. The graduation rate is roughly 52%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is $21,381, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $16,068. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,845 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $23,750 in federal student loans.
Is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts earn a median of $48,102, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.35%, well above the typical college. About 7.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $81,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Its economic connectedness score is 1.49, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
- Monmouth CollegeMonmouth, IL · Close peer62% grad $51,110 earn 91% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Martin Luther CollegeNew Ulm, MN · Close peer71% grad $47,491 earn 87% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Southern Wesleyan UniversityCentral, SC · Close peer52% grad $47,756 earn 100% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Northern State UniversityAberdeen, SD · Close peer51% grad $47,618 earn 93% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Graceland University-LamoniLamoni, IA · Close peer40% grad $47,361 earn 81% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Randolph CollegeLynchburg, VA · Close peer49% grad $53,409 earn 94% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Its economic connectedness score is 1.49, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note