Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
North Adams, Massachusetts · Also known as MCLA · Website
$48,102
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$48,102
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a public 4-year college in North Adams, Massachusetts with 713 undergraduates and 102 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $16,068 a year (tuition and fees $12,436 in-state, $21,381 out-of-state). It admits 90% of applicants and 56% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $48,102 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $23,750 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$16,068
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$12,436
Out-of-state $21,381
Admission rate
90%
US median 78%
Completion rate
56%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$23,750
About $252 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$48,102
Rank 1,646 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $16,068
- Tuition in-state
- $12,436
- Tuition out-of-state
- $21,381
- Cost of attendance
- $26,026
- Students with a need-based grant
- 41%
- Students with federal loans
- 61%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $9,845
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $10,762
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $13,250
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $15,958
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $22,698
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $9,475 in 2015-16 to $12,436 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- 90%
- Undergraduates
- 713
- Graduate students
- 102
- Part-time students
- 7.8%
- Women
- 55%
- Students per teacher
- 8
- Completion rate
- 56%
- Retention rate
- 76%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 29
- Endowment
- $23.0M
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 1,646 of 5,094 US colleges and 67 of 106 in Massachusetts (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | MA median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $16,068 | $24,402 | $12,792 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $12,436 | $34,256 | $8,626 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 90% | 71% | 83% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 56% | 69% | 46% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 76% | 79% | 76% | 75% |
| Median debt | $23,750 | $21,882 | $19,500 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $36,803 | $46,320 | $43,105 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $48,102 | $53,104 | $50,314 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 60% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 63% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
29 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 31 | $22,166 | $39,369 | $53,753 | $68,257 |
| Education, GeneralMaster's | Master's | 29 | Withheld | $58,504 | $60,664 | $65,824 |
| Psychology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 26 | $22,700 | $32,855 | $49,826 | $50,706 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBachelor's | Bachelor's | 24 | $24,492 | $35,293 | $47,162 | $55,693 |
| SociologyBachelor's | Bachelor's | 19 | $25,027 | $38,631 | $44,136 | $52,657 |
| English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 17 | $25,000 | $29,677 | $39,955 | $48,590 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 17 | $25,899 | Withheld | Withheld | $61,296 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 15 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $41,688 |
| Education, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 11 | $21,700 | $39,375 | Withheld | $49,808 |
| Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's | Bachelor's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $55,012 |
| Biology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | $52,808 | $57,214 |
| HistoryBachelor's | Bachelor's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $50,680 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 7 | $22,375 | $80,332 | $87,671 | $92,374 |
| Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's | Bachelor's | 7 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $63,293 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media ManagementBachelor's | Bachelor's | 7 | $25,000 | $18,675 | $42,983 | $48,240 |
| Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 5 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $41,367 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's | Master's | 5 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| MathematicsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $69,562 |
| Education, GeneralGraduate certificate | Graduate certificate | 3 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $69,448 |
| ChemistryBachelor's | Bachelor's | 2 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $65,120 |
| PhysicsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 2 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $76,786 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 2 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $70,786 |
| Public HealthBachelor's | Bachelor's | 1 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 0 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of North Adams and Massachusetts on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Massachusetts
- Homes: Homes for sale in Massachusetts
Questions and answers
How much does Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts cost?
$16,068 a year is the average net price at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $12,436 for in-state students and $21,381 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $26,026. Families earning under $30,000 pay $9,845 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts?
90% of applicants are admitted to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. The median admission rate of colleges in Massachusetts is 71%.
How much do Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduates earn?
$48,102 a year is the median pay of former Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students who work, 10 years after they started ($36,803 after 6 years). That ranks 1,646 of 5,094 US colleges and 67 of 106 in Massachusetts. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's) at $80,332.
How much student debt do Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduates have?
$23,750 is the median federal student loan debt of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduates, about $252 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 61% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts?
56% of first-time, full-time students at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts finish within 6 years. 76% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 4-year colleges is 46%.
What are the most popular majors at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts?
Business Administration, Management and Operations (31 bachelor's graduates), Education, General (29 master's graduates), Psychology, General (26 bachelor's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 29 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.