Iowa Wesleyan College vs. Messenger College

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

Iowa Wesleyan College Messenger College
Location Mount Pleasant, IA Joplin, TX
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 871 19
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwc.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Wesleyan College Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $33,550 $9,480
Tuition (Out of State) $33,550 $9,480
Room & Board $11,340 $7,832
Avg Net Price $20,074 $17,197
Avg Grant Aid $26,670 $7,812
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

Iowa Wesleyan College Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,975 8
Admitted 2,404 4
Acceptance Rate 80.8% 50%
Enrolled % 8% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.02 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/22
SAT Range 830/1010
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 Aug 15, 2025 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Iowa Wesleyan College Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

Iowa Wesleyan College Messenger College
Graduation Rate 25% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,900 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $258 N/A

Diversity

Iowa Wesleyan College Messenger College
% Men 56% 42%
% Women 44% 58%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 54%
% Black 9% 18%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 24% 8%

Students

Iowa Wesleyan College Messenger College
% In-State 25% 50%
% Out-of-State 60% 50%

Campus

Iowa Wesleyan College 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

  • Iowa Wesleyan College is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (871 students vs. 19 students)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa Wesleyan College or Messenger College?

  • Iowa Wesleyan College is 253.9% more expensive to attend than Messenger College for in-state tuition ($33,550.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 253.9% higher at Iowa Wesleyan College than Messenger College ($33,550.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messenger College than Iowa Wesleyan College ($17,197 vs. $20,074)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 44.8% lower than costs at Iowa Wesleyan College ($7,832 vs. $11,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than Iowa Wesleyan College (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa Wesleyan College students is 241.4% larger than aid received Messenger College ($26,670 vs. $7,812)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Iowa Wesleyan College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.02) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • Iowa Wesleyan College has a higher acceptance rate (80.8%) than Messenger College (50%)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa Wesleyan College 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 Iowa Wesleyan College.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa Wesleyan College is higher than Messenger College (25% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from Iowa Wesleyan College earn on average $12,900 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($36,900 vs. $24,000)
  • More Iowa Wesleyan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 40%)

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