Messiah College vs. William & Mary

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

Messiah College William & Mary
Location Grantham, PA Williamsburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,231 9,654
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #358 #61
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $38,550 $17,434
Tuition (Out of State) $38,550 $40,089
Room & Board $11,560 $13,828
Avg Net Price $24,120 $25,688
Avg Grant Aid $27,519 $15,134
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 66%

Admission

Messiah College William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,438 18,087
Admitted 1,936 6,059
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 33.5%
Enrolled % 30.3% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 25/30 32/34
SAT Range 1090/1340 1375/1520
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 2, 2025

Academics

Messiah College William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Messiah College William & Mary
Graduation Rate 74% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $201

Diversity

Messiah College William & Mary
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 59%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

Messiah College William & Mary
% In-State 63% 58%
% Out-of-State 35% 36%

Campus

Messiah College William & Mary
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of William and Mary is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (9,654 students vs. 3,231 students)

Messiah College vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or William & Mary?

  • Messiah College is 121.1% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $17,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4% higher at William & Mary than Messiah College ($40,089.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than William & Mary ($24,120 vs. $25,688)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 19.6% lower than costs at College of William and Mary ($11,560 vs. $13,828)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than College of William and Mary (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 81.8% larger than aid received College of William and Mary ($27,519 vs. $15,134)

Messiah College vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 224 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
  • Incoming William & Mary students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Messiah College (3.8)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than William & Mary (33.5%)

Messiah College vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College or William & Mary? 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 William & Mary and Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at William & Mary is higher than Messiah College (91% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from College of William and Mary earn on average $20,100 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($68,700 vs. $48,600)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $6,489 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $25,989)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($201 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William & Mary students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 85%)

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