Messiah College vs. Muhlenberg College

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Messiah College vs. Muhlenberg College comparison
Messiah College Muhlenberg College College 3 College 4
Messiah College Muhlenberg College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Messiah College Muhlenberg College
Location Grantham, PA Allentown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 3,231 1,959
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #358 #88
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu muhlenberg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College Muhlenberg College
Tuition (In State) $38,550 $57,270
Tuition (Out of State) $38,550 $57,270
Room & Board $11,560 $13,440
Avg Net Price $24,120 $32,926
Avg Grant Aid $27,519 $38,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Messiah College Muhlenberg College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,438 4,329
Admitted 1,936 2,836
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 65.5%
Enrolled % 30.3% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.44
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 29/33
SAT Range 1090/1340 1200/1400
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 Muhlenberg College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

Messiah College Muhlenberg College
Graduation Rate 74% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $63,700
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $26,490
Median Loan Payment $268 $273

Diversity

Messiah College Muhlenberg College
% Men 37% 39%
% Women 63% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 75%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

Messiah College Muhlenberg College
% In-State 63% 31%
% Out-of-State 35% 68%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Messiah College is larger than than Muhlenberg College based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 1,959 students)

Messiah College vs. Muhlenberg College Cost Comparison

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

  • Muhlenberg College is 48.6% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($57,270.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.6% higher at Muhlenberg College than Messiah College ($57,270.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Muhlenberg College ($24,120 vs. $32,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 16.3% lower than costs at Muhlenberg College ($11,560 vs. $13,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Muhlenberg College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Muhlenberg College students is 39.6% larger than aid received Messiah College ($38,412 vs. $27,519)

Messiah College vs. Muhlenberg College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Muhlenberg College (3.44)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than Muhlenberg College (65.5%)

Messiah College vs. Muhlenberg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College or Muhlenberg 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 Muhlenberg College and Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at Muhlenberg College is higher than Messiah College (86% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Muhlenberg College earn on average $15,100 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($63,700 vs. $48,600)
  • Messiah College students graduate with a $501 lower median federal student loan debt than Muhlenberg College graduates. ($25,989 vs. $26,490)
  • Messiah College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Muhlenberg College graduates. ($268 vs. $273)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Muhlenberg 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/