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Pace University-New York Liberty University Adelphi University Purchase College Gwynedd Mercy College Eastern University Wheaton College Monmouth University Elizabethtown College Penn State SHU SUNY Cortland| Iona College | Messiah College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Iona College | Messiah College | ||
| Location | New Rochelle, NY | Grantham, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 3,720 | 3,344 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #492 | #362 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iona.edu | messiah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Iona College | Messiah College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $43,680 | $39,700 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $43,680 | $39,700 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,270 | $11,910 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $28,557 | $29,882 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $29,258 | $24,223 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Iona College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,289 | 2,375 | ||
| Admitted | 6,643 | 1,864 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 91.1% | 78.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.1% | 32% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 20/28 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1055/1265 | 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 |
Iona College | Messiah College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Iona College | Messiah College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 57% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $58,400 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,047 | $25,989 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $269 | $268 |
Diversity |
Iona College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 22% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Iona College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 78% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 20% | 36% | ||
Campus |
Iona College | Messiah College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Iona College is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (3,720 students vs. 3,344 students)
Iona College vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Iona College or Messiah College?
- Iona College is 10% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($43,680.00 vs. $39,700.00)
- Out of state tuition is 10% higher at Iona College than Messiah College ($43,680.00 vs. $39,700.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iona College than Messiah College ($28,557 vs. $29,882)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 53.4% lower than costs at Iona College ($11,910 vs. $18,270)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Iona College as Messiah College (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Iona College students is 20.8% larger than aid received Messiah College ($29,258 vs. $24,223)
Iona College vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Iona College or Messiah College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messiah College or Iona College .
- The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 124 points higher than at Iona College (1005)
- Incoming Messiah College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Iona College (23)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Iona College (3.4)
- Iona College has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Messiah College (78.5%)
Iona College vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Iona 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 Iona College.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Iona College (74% vs. 57%)
- Graduates from Iona College earn on average $9,800 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $48,600)
- Messiah College students graduate with a $58 lower median federal student loan debt than Iona College graduates. ($25,989 vs. $26,047)
- Messiah College graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Iona College graduates. ($268 vs. $269)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iona College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/