Mount Holyoke College vs Lafayette College
Mount Holyoke College and Lafayette College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Mount Holyoke, a women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts, boasts a 44% acceptance rate and a student body of over 2,200 undergraduates. Lafayette, a coeducational college in Easton, Pennsylvania, has a slightly higher acceptance rate of 48% and a larger undergraduate population of over 2,600. Both colleges offer a diverse range of academic programs, with Mount Holyoke excelling in the social sciences and humanities, while Lafayette is known for its strengths in engineering and the natural sciences. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these colleges' differences in graduation rates, student demographics, and popular majors, and make an informed decision about which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
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![]() Lafayette College |
![]() Mount Holyoke College |
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Overview |
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Location | Easton, Pennsylvania | South Hadley, Massachusetts |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 91.0% | 91.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Presbyterian | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 40.7% | 52.3% |
Application fees | $65 |
Undergraduate:
$60
Graduate:
$50
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SAT range | 1300 - 1460 | 1300 - 1510 |
ACT range | 30 - 33 | 31 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 28.0% | 24.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 13.0% | 11.0% |
Total number of applicants | 8,262 | 3,971 |
Total number of admissions given out | 3,366 | 2,077 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 782 | 608 |
Yield rate | 23.2% | 29.3% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $75,934 | $73,438 |
Average net price | $38,754 | $29,218 |
Tuition | $55,874 | $56,300 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$10,308
Meal plan:
$6,362
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Room/dormitory:
$8,320
Meal plan:
$8,260
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
61.0%
Average amount $34,668 |
100.0%
Average amount $30,351 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
26.0%
Average amount $4,491 |
42.0%
Average amount $4,906 |
Students taking out private loans |
7.0%
Average amount $23,831 |
7.0%
Average amount $4,982 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,725
Men 51.2% Women 48.8% |
2,220
Men 0.1% Women 99.9% |
Graduate students | N/A |
122
Men 13.1% Women 86.9% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Low
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Out-of-state students | 82.6% | N/A |
International students | 7.8% | 23.1% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 2,510 | 2,171 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Mississippi Connecticut | Mississippi New York California Connecticut Florida |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 10:1 | 10:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 87.9% | 85.0% |
Dropout rate | 2.5% | 2.9% |
Transferred out | 9.6% | 11.9% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Education, Other (Master's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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