California College of the Arts vs. Messenger College

Should I go to California College of the Arts or Messenger College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California College of the Arts 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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California College of the Arts vs. Messenger College comparison
California College of the Arts Messenger College College 3 College 4
California College of the Arts
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Overview

California College of the Arts Messenger College
Location Oakland, CA Joplin, TX
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 1,501 19
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cca.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California College of the Arts Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $53,856 $9,480
Tuition (Out of State) $53,856 $9,480
Room & Board $19,957 $7,832
Avg Net Price $47,862 $17,197
Avg Grant Aid $27,563 $7,812
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 100%

Admission

California College of the Arts Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,987 8
Admitted 2,261 4
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 50%
Enrolled % 8.4% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

California College of the Arts Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (77%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Communications Technology (4%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • English and Literature (2%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

California College of the Arts Messenger College
Graduation Rate 49% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $289 N/A

Diversity

California College of the Arts Messenger College
% Men 35% 42%
% Women 65% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 54%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 14% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 31% 2%
% Unknown Race 7% 8%

Students

California College of the Arts Messenger College
% In-State 42% 50%
% Out-of-State 20% 50%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California College of the Arts is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (1,501 students vs. 19 students)

California College of the Arts vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or Messenger College?

  • California College of the Arts is 468.1% more expensive to attend than Messenger College for in-state tuition ($53,856.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 468.1% higher at California College of the Arts than Messenger College ($53,856.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messenger College than California College of the Arts ($17,197 vs. $47,862)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 154.8% lower than costs at California College of the Arts ($7,832 vs. $19,957)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than California College of the Arts (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 252.8% larger than aid received Messenger College ($27,563 vs. $7,812)

California College of the Arts vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman California College of the Arts students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • California College of the Arts has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than Messenger College (50%)

California College of the Arts vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California College of the Arts 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 California College of the Arts.

  • The graduation rate at California College of the Arts is higher than Messenger College (49% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from California College of the Arts earn on average $19,500 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($43,500 vs. $24,000)
  • More California College of the Arts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 40%)

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