Claflin University vs. Messenger College

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

Claflin University Messenger College
Location Orangeburg, SC Joplin, TX
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,835 26
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #996
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website claflin.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Claflin University Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $16,476 $9,600
Tuition (Out of State) $16,476 $9,600
Room & Board $9,480 $12,635
Avg Net Price $21,232 $18,221
Avg Grant Aid $12,306 $7,978
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Claflin University Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,999 14
Admitted 5,078 7
Acceptance Rate 72.6% 50%
Enrolled % 9% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/18
SAT Range 840/1040
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026

Academics

Claflin University Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

Claflin University Messenger College
Graduation Rate 40% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,700 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $32,184 N/A
Median Loan Payment $332 N/A

Diversity

Claflin University Messenger College
% Men 1% 19%
% Women 3% 35%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 1% 54%
% Black 92% 18%
% Hispanic 2% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Claflin University Messenger College
% In-State 81% 50%
% Out-of-State 17% 50%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Claflin University is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (1,835 students vs. 26 students)

Claflin University vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Claflin University or Messenger College?

  • Claflin University is 71.6% more expensive to attend than Messenger College for in-state tuition ($16,476.00 vs. $9,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 71.6% higher at Claflin University than Messenger College ($16,476.00 vs. $9,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messenger College than Claflin University ($18,221 vs. $21,232)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Claflin University are 33.3% lower than costs at Messenger College ($9,480 vs. $12,635)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than Claflin University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Claflin University students is 54.2% larger than aid received Messenger College ($12,306 vs. $7,978)

Claflin University vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Claflin University students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • Claflin University has a higher acceptance rate (72.6%) than Messenger College (50%)

Claflin University vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Claflin University 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 Claflin University.

  • The graduation rate at Claflin University is higher than Messenger College (40% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from Claflin University earn on average $6,700 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($30,700 vs. $24,000)
  • More Messenger College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Claflin University students, three years after graduation. (40% vs. 25%)

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