Henderson State University vs. Messenger College

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

Henderson State University Messenger College
Location Arkadelphia, AR Joplin, TX
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 2,136 26
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #988
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hsu.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Henderson State University Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $6,163 $9,600
Tuition (Out of State) $8,160 $9,600
Room & Board $10,680 $12,635
Avg Net Price $16,929 $18,221
Avg Grant Aid $9,017 $7,978
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Henderson State University Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,814 14
Admitted 1,486 7
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 50%
Enrolled % 20.6% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/21
SAT Range 903/1073
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2026 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

Henderson State University Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

Henderson State University Messenger College
Graduation Rate 31% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 N/A
Median Loan Payment $201 N/A

Diversity

Henderson State University Messenger College
% Men 8% 19%
% Women 23% 35%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 54%
% Black 24% 18%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Henderson State University Messenger College
% In-State 77% 50%
% Out-of-State 21% 50%

Campus

Henderson State University 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

  • Henderson State University is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (2,136 students vs. 26 students)

Henderson State University vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Henderson State University or Messenger College?

  • Messenger College is 55.8% more expensive to attend than Henderson State University for in-state tuition ($9,600.00 vs. $6,163.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.6% higher at Messenger College than Henderson State University ($9,600.00 vs. $8,160.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Henderson State University than Messenger College ($16,929 vs. $18,221)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Henderson State University are 18.3% lower than costs at Messenger College ($10,680 vs. $12,635)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than Henderson State University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Henderson State University students is 13% larger than aid received Messenger College ($9,017 vs. $7,978)

Henderson State University vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Henderson State University students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • Henderson State University has a higher acceptance rate (81.9%) than Messenger College (50%)

Henderson State University vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Henderson State 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 Henderson State University.

  • The graduation rate at Henderson State University is higher than Messenger College (31% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from Henderson State University earn on average $14,400 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $24,000)
  • More Henderson State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 40%)

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