Houghton College vs. Messiah College

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

Houghton College Messiah College
Location Houghton, NY Grantham, PA
Setting Remote Rural Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,014 3,344
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #447 #362
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website houghton.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Houghton College Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $16,690 $39,700
Tuition (Out of State) $16,690 $39,700
Room & Board $10,810 $11,910
Avg Net Price $22,358 $29,882
Avg Grant Aid $7,149 $24,223
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Houghton College Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,068 2,375
Admitted 990 1,864
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 78.5%
Enrolled % 23.7% 32%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.8
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28 22/30
SAT Range 1180/1390 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

Academics

Houghton College Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Houghton College Messiah College
Graduation Rate 68% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,300 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $263 $268

Diversity

Houghton College Messiah College
% Men 1% 6%
% Women 3% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 83%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 11% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Houghton College Messiah College
% In-State 57% 63%
% Out-of-State 43% 36%

Campus

Houghton College 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 Houghton College based on total student enrollment (3,344 students vs. 1,014 students)

Houghton College vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Houghton College or Messiah College?

  • Messiah College is 137.9% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 137.9% higher at Messiah College than Houghton College ($39,700.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houghton College than Messiah College ($22,358 vs. $29,882)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 10.2% lower than costs at Messiah College ($10,810 vs. $11,910)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Houghton College as Messiah College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 238.8% larger than aid received Houghton College ($24,223 vs. $7,149)

Houghton College vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 19 points higher than at Houghton College (1110)
  • Incoming Houghton College students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Messiah College (78.5%)

Houghton College vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Houghton College 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 Houghton College.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Houghton College (74% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Messiah College earn on average $4,300 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $44,300)
  • Houghton College students graduate with a $489 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($25,500 vs. $25,989)
  • Houghton College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($263 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Houghton College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 77%)

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