Messiah College vs. Mason

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

Messiah College Mason
Location Grantham, PA Fairfax, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,231 39,049
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #358 #228
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College Mason
Tuition (In State) $38,550 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $38,550 $35,377
Room & Board $11,560 $13,120
Avg Net Price $24,120 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $27,519 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 74%

Admission

Messiah College Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,438 20,001
Admitted 1,936 18,001
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 90%
Enrolled % 30.3% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 25/31
SAT Range 1090/1340 1140/1350
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

Messiah College Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Messiah College Mason
Graduation Rate 74% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $268 $204

Diversity

Messiah College Mason
% Men 37% 48%
% Women 63% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 43%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Messiah College Mason
% In-State 63% 77%
% Out-of-State 35% 17%

Campus

Messiah College Mason
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

  • George Mason University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 3,231 students)

Messiah College vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or Mason?

  • Messiah College is 293.6% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9% higher at Messiah College than George Mason University ($38,550.00 vs. $35,377.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Messiah College ($18,479 vs. $24,120)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 13.5% lower than costs at George Mason University ($11,560 vs. $13,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than George Mason University (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 155.8% larger than aid received George Mason University ($27,519 vs. $10,760)

Messiah College vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 24 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
  • Incoming Mason students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Mason (3.68)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Messiah College (79.4%)

Messiah College vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College or Mason? 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 Mason and Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than George Mason University (74% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $13,300 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $48,600)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $6,239 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($19,750 vs. $25,989)
  • Mason graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($204 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mason 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/