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Maryland George Washington UMBC Spelman Penn State NCAT Hampton University Mason TU VCU Liberty University UNC Chapel Hill| Howard University | Messiah College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Howard | Messiah College | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Grantham, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 13,416 | 3,344 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #249 | #362 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | howard.edu | messiah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Howard | Messiah College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $32,878 | $39,700 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,878 | $39,700 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,474 | $11,910 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,028 | $29,882 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,422 | $24,223 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Howard | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 30,342 | 2,375 | ||
| Admitted | 10,587 | 1,864 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.9% | 78.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.4% | 32% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.66 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1298 | 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 | Feb 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Howard | Messiah College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Howard | Messiah College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 33% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $25,989 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $268 |
Diversity |
Howard | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Extremely Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 2% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 91% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 0% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 3% | ||
| % International | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Howard | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 1% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 91% | 36% | ||
Campus |
Howard | Messiah College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Howard University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 3,344 students)
Howard vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Howard or Messiah College?
- Messiah College is 20.7% more expensive to attend than Howard for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $32,878.00)
- Out of state tuition is 20.7% higher at Messiah College than Howard University ($39,700.00 vs. $32,878.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Howard ($29,882 vs. $30,028)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 38.3% lower than costs at Howard University ($11,910 vs. $16,474)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Howard University as Messiah College (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 13.1% larger than aid received Howard University ($24,223 vs. $21,422)
Howard vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Howard or Messiah College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messiah College or Howard .
- The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 24 points higher than at Howard (1105)
- Incoming Messiah College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Howard (24)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Howard (3.66)
- Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than Howard (34.9%)
Howard vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Howard 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 Howard.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Howard University (74% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Howard University earn on average $3,200 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $48,600)
- Messiah College students graduate with a $1,011 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($25,989 vs. $27,000)
- Messiah College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 33%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/