September 12, 2022
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ continued commitment to an excellent, affordable education is reflected in the 2022-2023 U.S. News and World Report rankings: The College is #7 on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Colleges for the second year in a row, ranks #33 as a Top Performer on Social Mobility among national liberal arts colleges, and first among all Massachusetts liberal arts schools. MCLA also continues to appear on the list of Top National Liberal Arts Colleges.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News’ list of Top Public Colleges for 10 of the past 12 years. The College has also been acknowledged in its list of National Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Mobility since the organization adopted this ranking in 2019. This list measures how well institutions graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants, typically awarded to students whose families make less than $50,000, though most Pell Grant money goes to families with income below $20,000.
Slightly more than 42 percent of MCLA undergraduate students receive Pell Grants, and 51.4 percent are the first in their families to go to college. Overall, 93.1 percent of students receive some kind of financial aid.
“As we once again appear in the Top Public College rankings, I feel immense gratitude toward my colleagues who support our Trailblazers in achieving their academic goals,” said MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D. “From faculty and staff strengthening and growing programs, to the exceptional student body striving for academic excellence and fulfilling lives, I am grateful to work at an institution with a mission of advancing equity, social mobility, and serving under-resourced students.”
“I am incredibly impressed by MCLA’s continued success – an institution that is consistently recognized as a Top Public College,” said Brenda Burdick, Chair of the MCLA Board of Trustees. “The work that has been done to remain in the top 10 standings is extraordinary. With our excellent faculty and staff dedicated to growing and strengthening the College’s programs, I am proud to see affordable and accessible college education at the forefront of the College’s mission.”
U.S. News ranks colleges based on indicators that reflect a school’s student body, its faculty, and its financial resources, along with outcome measures that signal how well the institution achieves its mission of educating students.
For more information, go to usnews.com/colleges.
About MCLA:
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. Nearly 93% of our graduates land competitive jobs or
are accepted by some of the best grad schools in the country. We engage in the most
nationally relevant conversations by hosting some of the most celebrated thinkers
and speakers on our campus in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, an area known for its
mountain ranges, hiking trails, and panoramic views. Our home town of North Adams
is brimming with young, creative energy and the regional economy is booming as a result.
In nearly every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate you as
an individual, a leader, and a communicator, fully empowered to make your impression
on the world.
For more information, go to www.mcla.edu.
