James F. Birge, Ph.D., President | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
James F. Birge, Ph.D., President | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Data shows that students paid $36,229 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $1,063 more than the previous school year.
Among the six institutions in the county, Bard College at Simon's Rock stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $64,951. Williams College followed with an average of $61,770 per year. Charles H McCann Technical School students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $4,315.
At the time, a total of $27.9 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Berkshire County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $2.5 million.
Currently there are six higher education institutions in Berkshire County, including Mildred Elley-Pittsfield Campus, Berkshire Community College, and Bard College at Simon's Rock.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mildred Elley-Pittsfield Campus | 28 | $152,654 | $5,452 | 29 | $243,186 | $8,386 |
| Charles H McCann Technical School | 8 | $35,271 | $4,409 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | 176 | $1,690,712 | $9,606 | 171 | $1,195,003 | $6,988 |
| Bard College at Simon's Rock | 94 | $3,505,472 | $37,292 | 53 | $339,898 | $6,413 |
| Berkshire Community College | 105 | $956,170 | $9,106 | 56 | $271,551 | $4,849 |
| Williams College | 336 | $21,562,970 | $64,176 | 59 | $482,093 | $8,171 |
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