Lafayette College vs. Messiah College

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

Lafayette College Messiah College
Location Easton, PA Grantham, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,729 3,231
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #65 #358
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lafayette.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lafayette College Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $58,110 $38,550
Tuition (Out of State) $58,110 $38,550
Room & Board $17,336 $11,560
Avg Net Price $37,186 $24,120
Avg Grant Aid $24,981 $27,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Lafayette College Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,500 2,438
Admitted 3,531 1,936
Acceptance Rate 33.6% 79.4%
Enrolled % 21.4% 30.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.8
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33 25/30
SAT Range 1330/1480 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Lafayette College Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Lafayette College Messiah College
Graduation Rate 88% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,000 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $268 $268

Diversity

Lafayette College Messiah College
% Men 50% 37%
% Women 50% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 83%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 9% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Lafayette College Messiah College
% In-State 16% 63%
% Out-of-State 76% 35%

Campus

Lafayette College 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

  • Messiah College is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 2,729 students)

Lafayette College vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lafayette College is 50.7% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($58,110.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.7% higher at Lafayette College than Messiah College ($58,110.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Lafayette College ($24,120 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 50% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($11,560 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Lafayette College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 10.2% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($27,519 vs. $24,981)

Lafayette College vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 165 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than Lafayette College (33.6%)

Lafayette College vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lafayette 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 Lafayette College.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Messiah College (88% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $32,400 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $48,600)
  • Messiah College students graduate with a $11 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($25,989 vs. $26,000)
  • Messiah College and Lafayette College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($268 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messiah College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 85%)

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