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Mason Virginia Tech VCU UVA CNU Old Dominion Mary Washington College William & Mary UD Elon ASU Penn State| Messiah College | James Madison University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Messiah College | JMU | ||
| Location | Grantham, PA | Harrisonburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,231 | 22,224 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #358 | #260 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Interdenominational | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | messiah.edu | jmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Messiah College | JMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $38,550 | $7,684 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $38,550 | $24,744 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,560 | $12,040 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $24,120 | $18,274 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,519 | $10,081 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 33% |
Admission |
Messiah College | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,438 | 30,727 | ||
| Admitted | 1,936 | 24,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 79.4% | 78.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 30.3% | 20.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.8 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 25/30 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1340 | 1140/1320 | ||
| 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 |
Messiah College | JMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Messiah College | JMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 74% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,600 | $60,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,989 | $20,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $216 |
Diversity |
Messiah College | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 83% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
Messiah College | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 63% | 73% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 26% | ||
Campus |
Messiah College | JMU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- James Madison University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 3,231 students)
Messiah College vs. JMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or JMU?
- Messiah College is 401.7% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $7,684.00)
- Out of state tuition is 55.8% higher at Messiah College than James Madison University ($38,550.00 vs. $24,744.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Messiah College ($18,274 vs. $24,120)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 4.2% lower than costs at James Madison University ($11,560 vs. $12,040)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 173% larger than aid received James Madison University ($27,519 vs. $10,081)
Messiah College vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Messiah College or JMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between JMU or Messiah College .
- The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 5 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
- Incoming Messiah College students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at JMU (25)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at JMU (3.57)
- Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than JMU (78.3%)
Messiah College vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Messiah College or JMU? 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 JMU and Messiah College.
- The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Messiah College (81% vs. 74%)
- Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $11,700 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $48,600)
- James Madison University students graduate with a $5,090 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($20,899 vs. $25,989)
- JMU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($216 vs. $268)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former JMU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 83%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/