Blackburn College vs. Messenger College

Should I go to Blackburn College or Messenger College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College or Messenger College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Blackburn College vs. Messenger College comparison
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Blackburn College
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Overview

Blackburn College Messenger College
Location Carlinville, IL Joplin, TX
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 382 19
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $9,480
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $9,480
Room & Board $9,020 $7,832
Avg Net Price $21,575 $17,197
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $7,812
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Blackburn College Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 8
Admitted 504 4
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 50%
Enrolled % 21% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/24
SAT Range 888/1125
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Blackburn College Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College Messenger College
Graduation Rate 48% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $268 N/A

Diversity

Blackburn College Messenger College
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 80% 54%
% Black 13% 18%
% Hispanic 2% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

Blackburn College Messenger College
% In-State 70% 50%
% Out-of-State 30% 50%

Campus

Blackburn College Messenger College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Blackburn College is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (382 students vs. 19 students)

Blackburn College vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or Messenger College?

  • Blackburn College is 174.8% more expensive to attend than Messenger College for in-state tuition ($26,055.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 174.8% higher at Blackburn College than Messenger College ($26,055.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messenger College than Blackburn College ($17,197 vs. $21,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 15.2% lower than costs at Blackburn College ($7,832 vs. $9,020)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College as Messenger College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Blackburn College students is 80.6% larger than aid received Messenger College ($14,112 vs. $7,812)

Blackburn College vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blackburn College or Messenger College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messenger College or Blackburn College .

  • Accepted freshman Blackburn College students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • Blackburn College has a higher acceptance rate (64.4%) than Messenger College (50%)

Blackburn College vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College or Messenger 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 Messenger College and Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at Blackburn College is higher than Messenger College (48% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from Blackburn College earn on average $16,400 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $24,000)
  • More Blackburn College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 40%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/