Ithaca College vs. Messiah College

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

Ithaca College Messiah College
Location Ithaca, NY Grantham, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,054 3,231
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #163 #358
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ithaca.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ithaca College Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $48,126 $38,550
Tuition (Out of State) $48,126 $38,550
Room & Board $15,934 $11,560
Avg Net Price $35,858 $24,120
Avg Grant Aid $29,677 $27,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Ithaca College Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,446 2,438
Admitted 9,359 1,936
Acceptance Rate 75.2% 79.4%
Enrolled % 14% 30.3%
Avg High School GPA - 3.8
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 28/32 25/30
SAT Range 1203/1380 1090/1340
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 1, 2025

Academics

Ithaca College Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Ithaca College Messiah College
Graduation Rate 74% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,100 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $266 $268

Diversity

Ithaca College Messiah College
% Men 43% 37%
% Women 57% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 83%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Ithaca College Messiah College
% In-State 39% 63%
% Out-of-State 57% 35%

Campus

Ithaca 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

  • Ithaca College is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (5,054 students vs. 3,231 students)

Ithaca College vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

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

  • Ithaca College is 24.8% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($48,126.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.8% higher at Ithaca College than Messiah College ($48,126.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Ithaca College ($24,120 vs. $35,858)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 37.8% lower than costs at Ithaca College ($11,560 vs. $15,934)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Ithaca College as Messiah College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ithaca College students is 7.8% larger than aid received Messiah College ($29,677 vs. $27,519)

Ithaca College vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than Ithaca College (75.2%)

Ithaca College vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ithaca 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 Ithaca College.

  • The graduation rate at Ithaca College is the same as at Messiah College (74% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Ithaca College earn on average $7,500 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($56,100 vs. $48,600)
  • Ithaca College students graduate with a $239 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($25,750 vs. $25,989)
  • Ithaca College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($266 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ithaca College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 84%)

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