Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Liberty University Ursinus College LVC WCU Penn State Abington University of Scranton Eastern University Wheaton College Elizabethtown College Penn State Houghton College Cedarville University| Arcadia University | Messiah College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Arcadia | Messiah College | ||
| Location | Glenside, PA | Grantham, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 3,026 | 3,231 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #502 | #358 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Presbyterian Church (USA) | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | arcadia.edu | messiah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Arcadia | Messiah College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $46,430 | $38,550 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $46,430 | $38,550 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,720 | $11,560 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $29,692 | $24,120 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $30,934 | $27,519 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
Arcadia | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,321 | 2,438 | ||
| Admitted | 4,903 | 1,936 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 77.6% | 79.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10% | 30.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 24/29 | 25/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1088/1320 | 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 |
Academics |
Arcadia | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 13:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Arcadia | Messiah College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 62% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $46,400 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $25,989 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $268 |
Diversity |
Arcadia | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 32% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 68% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 68% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
Arcadia | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 62% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 37% | 35% | ||
Campus |
Arcadia | Messiah College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Messiah College is larger than than Arcadia based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 3,026 students)
Arcadia vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Arcadia or Messiah College?
- Arcadia University is 20.4% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($46,430.00 vs. $38,550.00)
- Out of state tuition is 20.4% higher at Arcadia than Messiah College ($46,430.00 vs. $38,550.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Arcadia ($24,120 vs. $29,692)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 18.7% lower than costs at Arcadia University ($11,560 vs. $13,720)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Arcadia University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 12.4% larger than aid received Messiah College ($30,934 vs. $27,519)
Arcadia vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Arcadia or Messiah College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messiah College or Arcadia .
- The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 25 points higher than at Arcadia (1104)
- Incoming Arcadia students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Messiah College (25)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Arcadia (3.42)
- Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than Arcadia (77.6%)
Arcadia vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Arcadia 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 Arcadia.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Arcadia University (74% vs. 62%)
- Graduates from Messiah College earn on average $2,200 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $46,400)
- Messiah College students graduate with a $1,011 lower median federal student loan debt than Arcadia graduates. ($25,989 vs. $27,000)
- Messiah College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Arcadia graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Arcadia students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/