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George Washington Georgetown Fordham Syracuse Mason Lafayette College DU Drexel William & Mary Elon University of Richmond Bucknell| American University | Messiah College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
AU | Messiah College | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Grantham, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 13,885 | 3,231 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #93 | #358 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | american.edu | messiah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
AU | Messiah College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $53,070 | $38,550 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $53,070 | $38,550 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,706 | $11,560 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $41,369 | $24,120 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,138 | $27,519 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 66% | 100% |
Admission |
AU | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,510 | 2,438 | ||
| Admitted | 7,926 | 1,936 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 40.6% | 79.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.2% | 30.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 29/32 | 25/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1290/1430 | 1090/1340 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
AU | Messiah College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
AU | Messiah College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $64,800 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 80% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $25,989 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $268 |
Diversity |
AU | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
AU | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 2% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 94% | 35% | ||
Campus |
AU | Messiah College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- American University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 3,231 students)
AU vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, AU or Messiah College?
- American University is 37.7% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $38,550.00)
- Out of state tuition is 37.7% higher at AU than Messiah College ($53,070.00 vs. $38,550.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than AU ($24,120 vs. $41,369)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 35.9% lower than costs at American University ($11,560 vs. $15,706)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than American University (100% vs. 66%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 1.4% larger than aid received American University ($27,519 vs. $27,138)
AU vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, AU or Messiah College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messiah College or AU .
- The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 123 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
- Incoming AU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Messiah College (25)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at AU (3.7)
- Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than AU (40.6%)
AU vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, AU or Messiah College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Messiah College and AU.
- The graduation rate at AU is higher than Messiah College (77% vs. 74%)
- Graduates from American University earn on average $16,200 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $48,600)
- American University students graduate with a $1,739 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,989)
- AU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($250 vs. $268)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 80%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/