Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Messenger College

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

Gustavus Adolphus College Messenger College
Location Saint Peter, MN Joplin, TX
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 2,072 19
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gustavus.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gustavus Adolphus College Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $52,490 $9,480
Tuition (Out of State) $52,490 $9,480
Room & Board $11,010 $7,832
Avg Net Price $30,297 $17,197
Avg Grant Aid $32,808 $7,812
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 100%

Admission

Gustavus Adolphus College Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,781 8
Admitted 2,794 4
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 50%
Enrolled % 16.6% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
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 Apr 1, 2025 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Gustavus Adolphus College Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

Gustavus Adolphus College Messenger College
Graduation Rate 82% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,300 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $279 N/A

Diversity

Gustavus Adolphus College Messenger College
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 54%
% Black 2% 18%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Gustavus Adolphus College Messenger College
% In-State 79% 50%
% Out-of-State 15% 50%

Campus

Gustavus Adolphus 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

  • Gustavus Adolphus College is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (2,072 students vs. 19 students)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gustavus Adolphus College or Messenger College?

  • Gustavus Adolphus College is 453.7% more expensive to attend than Messenger College for in-state tuition ($52,490.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 453.7% higher at Gustavus Adolphus College than Messenger College ($52,490.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messenger College than Gustavus Adolphus College ($17,197 vs. $30,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 40.6% lower than costs at Gustavus Adolphus College ($7,832 vs. $11,010)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than Gustavus Adolphus College (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gustavus Adolphus College students is 320% larger than aid received Messenger College ($32,808 vs. $7,812)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Gustavus Adolphus College students have a 0.79 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • Gustavus Adolphus College has a higher acceptance rate (73.9%) than Messenger College (50%)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gustavus Adolphus 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 Gustavus Adolphus College.

  • The graduation rate at Gustavus Adolphus College is higher than Messenger College (82% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from Gustavus Adolphus College earn on average $32,300 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $24,000)
  • More Gustavus Adolphus College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 40%)

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