F&M vs. Messiah College

Should I go to Franklin and Marshall College or Messiah College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if F&M or Messiah 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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Franklin and Marshall College vs. Messiah College comparison
Franklin and Marshall College Messiah College College 3 College 4
Franklin and Marshall College Messiah College
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Overview

F&M Messiah College
Location Lancaster, PA Grantham, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,911 3,344
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #61 #362
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fandm.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

F&M Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $68,180 $39,700
Tuition (Out of State) $68,180 $39,700
Room & Board $15,568 $11,910
Avg Net Price $37,475 $29,882
Avg Grant Aid $45,764 $24,223
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 100%

Admission

F&M Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,231 2,375
Admitted 2,938 1,864
Acceptance Rate 31.8% 78.5%
Enrolled % 18.8% 32%
Avg High School GPA - 3.8
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 29/32 22/30
SAT Range 1298/1460 1100/1340
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, 2026

Academics

F&M Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

F&M Messiah College
Graduation Rate 85% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $227 $268

Diversity

F&M Messiah College
% Men 0% 6%
% Women 0% 17%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 83%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 14% 4%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

F&M Messiah College
% In-State 25% 63%
% Out-of-State 59% 36%

Campus

F&M 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 F&M based on total student enrollment (3,344 students vs. 1,911 students)

F&M vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, F&M or Messiah College?

  • Franklin and Marshall College is 71.7% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($68,180.00 vs. $39,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 71.7% higher at F&M than Messiah College ($68,180.00 vs. $39,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than F&M ($29,882 vs. $37,475)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 30.7% lower than costs at Franklin and Marshall College ($11,910 vs. $15,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Franklin and Marshall College (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Franklin and Marshall College students is 88.9% larger than aid received Messiah College ($45,764 vs. $24,223)

F&M vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than F&M (31.8%)

F&M vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, F&M 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 F&M.

  • The graduation rate at F&M is higher than Messiah College (85% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Franklin and Marshall College earn on average $13,300 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $48,600)
  • Franklin and Marshall College students graduate with a $3,989 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,989)
  • F&M graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($227 vs. $268)
  • More F&M graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messiah College students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 85%)

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