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North Adams , MA
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) is a public liberal arts college located in North Adams, Massachusetts. Established in 1894, MCLA offers a wide range of undergraduate programs in arts, sciences, and professional fields. The college takes pride in its small class sizes and emphasis on personalized attention, fostering a close-knit community of students and faculty.
MCLA has a strong commitment to liberal arts education and provides a well-rounded academic experience to its students. With over 50 academic programs, students can choose from majors in areas such as biology, business, computer science, education, fine arts, psychology, and more. The college also offers minors and concentrations to complement students' areas of study and enhance their learning experiences.
Beyond academics, MCLA provides a vibrant campus life with numerous extracurricular activities and organizations. Students can participate in clubs and organizations centered around their interests, join student government, or engage in community service through various volunteer opportunities. The college also hosts a wide range of cultural and social events, including art exhibitions, music performances, and guest lectures.
Overall, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts offers a comprehensive liberal arts education, combining rigorous academic programs with a supportive and inclusive campus community. With its commitment to small class sizes and personal attention, students can expect to receive a high-quality education and have many opportunities for personal and intellectual growth during their time at MCLA.
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a public comprehensive higher education institution located in North Adams, MA. This school follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 89%. The freshman retention rate at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is 75.7% and the six-year graduation rate is 56%.
Here are some essential information on important things to consider about Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Quick Facts
794
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
8:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
56%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Discover some vital info about admission policy and requirements at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
In 2025, the school accepted 1,084 new students. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.25. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Retention Rate
The percentage of new students at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts was 75.7%, indicative of the exceptional educational experience and supportive environment at this school.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. This academic institution has the six-year graduation rate of 56%.
Student Body
Picking a school that is the best match for you is not a simple task. Gaining a better insight into a school's student body helps you learn more about its culture and life.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2025 was 896.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 33.9% for that year. There was a total of 794 students working towards bachelor's degrees, including 10 international students. The number of transfer students at this school was 73.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 311 male and 380 female full-time students in 2025, which speaks volumes for gender equality at this institution. 17 full-time graduate men and 34 full-time graduate women attended this school.
Student Population Diversity
Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 12 Asian students and 62 Afro-American students in 2025. 48 students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 36 as multirace. The school also had 1 student who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 2 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 23 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
The financial aspect is one of the most important things to think about before applying to any college or university. Here are some important data on Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts costs that most students encounter at this school.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition fees for this university.
For local residents, public county and municipal institutions reported that tuition costs were $1,030. For students who don't live in the state in which the university is located, the tuition was $9,975 in 2025. For the students coming from abroad, tuition at this school was $9,975, as well. Fees per academic year required of full-time students amounted to $11,717 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $9,975 | $11,717 | $21,692 |
| In-State | $1,030 | $11,717 | $12,747 |
Books and Supplies
The estimated price of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another significant expense. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $1,200.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts was $17,136 in 2025. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school added up to $10,402, according to the data from 2025. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $4,500.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 1,030 |
| Room and Board | $ 17,136 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,200 |
| Total Expense | $ 19,366 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all different types of financial aid for students. Check out some recent data to get informed about need-based and non-need-based aid you might get at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
The most recent records show that 90 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average financial aid package awarded to students amounted to $21,130.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
405 students were granted some form of need-based financial aid. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 450. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $2,102,483, and state $1,331,624. The students of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $2,072,001, and external in the amount of $258,447.
$3,480
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
365 students, including freshmen, were awarded institutional non-need-based financial aid at this institution in 2025. 89 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. Federal non-need-based scholarships and grants totaled $2,102,483 for students at this institution, while state aid came to $740. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $543,479. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $104,643 USD.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
Majors
Faculty
8:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts was 8:1: that means 8 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. According to the most recent information, there are 124 faculty members at this school. Out of that number, there were 57 men and 65 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Find out some details about social life at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
It has a campus size of 105 acres.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
According to recently gathered data, there are 50 open-membership organizations at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. The student organization with the highest level of popularity is Dance Company, followed by Harlequin-Musical Theatre Company and The Beacon (Student Newspaper). Other popular student organizations at this school are Student Government Association and Student Activities Council.
For individuals with a penchant for acting, there is a drama club offering an opportunity to get involved. You have a passion for media and communication? Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts offers a number of services important for a comfortable and secure life on campus.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a 24-hour security patrol. The late-night transport/escort service is available.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
All in all, campus life at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Career Counselling
At Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be excellent for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is located in North Adams, MA.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is 89%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is 75.7%.
Contact Information
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
375 Church Street
North Adams , MA
01247-4100
413 662-5000
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
