Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts — ROI, Cost & Payback
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts charges a net price of $16,068/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $64,272. Median earnings ten years after entry are $48,102, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts does not clear its cost — it ranks #63 of 85 Massachusetts colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,068/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $64,272 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $48,102 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$258/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$69,432 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts's own numbers. Net price $16,068 × 4 years = $64,272 total. Median earnings $48,102 fall $258 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $64,272 bill in about 6.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate with?
A median $23,750 in federal loans among completers, or 49% of the $48,102 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts students graduate?
56% finish their degree — 44% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $64,272 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $114,771 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts expensive compared with other Massachusetts colleges?
Its $16,068 net price runs $8,815 below the $24,883 median across the 85 Massachusetts colleges we profile, and $35,260 less across the full degree.