Hood vs. Messenger College

Comparable Facts

Compare Hood College in Frederick, MD with Messenger College in Bedford, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Hood College is larger than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (2,101 students vs. 24 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Hood College is located in Frederick, MD (Small City setting); Messenger College is in Bedford, TX (Small City setting).
• Hood College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Messenger College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Hood College 10:1; Messenger College 8:1.

Hood vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hood or Messenger College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hood College than Messenger College ($23,350 vs. $25,941).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 17.9% lower than at Hood College ($13,305 vs. $16,200).
• Hood College is 310.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Messenger College (about $36,080 more per year; $47,700.00 vs. $11,620.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 310.5% higher at Hood than at Messenger College (about $36,080 more per year; $47,700.00 vs. $11,620.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hood College than at Messenger College (100% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Hood College students is 863.4% larger than aid received by Messenger College students ($37,957 vs. $3,940).

Hood vs. Messenger College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Hood or Messenger College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Messenger College and Hood.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Hood - Test-free; Messenger College - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Hood Aug 15, 2027; Messenger College Jul 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Hood students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Messenger College (2.9).
• Hood has a higher acceptance rate (77.8%) than Messenger College (37.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12% at Hood vs. 66.7% at Messenger College.

Hood vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Hood and Messenger College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Hood College's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Messenger College's (10%).
• Graduates from Hood College earn a median of about $23,300 more per year than Messenger College graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,300 vs. $24,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Hood graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 40%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.