Messiah College vs. Old Dominion

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

Messiah College Old Dominion
Location Grantham, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 3,344 22,541
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #362 #558
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu odu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College Old Dominion
Tuition (In State) $39,700 $7,590
Tuition (Out of State) $39,700 $27,465
Room & Board $11,910 $14,592
Avg Net Price $29,882 $16,150
Avg Grant Aid $24,223 $10,006
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

Messiah College Old Dominion
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,375 15,216
Admitted 1,864 13,773
Acceptance Rate 78.5% 90.5%
Enrolled % 32% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 22/27
SAT Range 1100/1340 1110/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Messiah College Old Dominion
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Messiah College Old Dominion
Graduation Rate 74% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $242

Diversity

Messiah College Old Dominion
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 17% 13%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 47%
% Black 3% 27%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

Messiah College Old Dominion
% In-State 63% 89%
% Out-of-State 36% 6%

Campus

Messiah College Old Dominion
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

  • Old Dominion University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (22,541 students vs. 3,344 students)

Messiah College vs. Old Dominion Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or Old Dominion?

  • Messiah College is 423.1% more expensive to attend than Old Dominion for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $7,590.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.5% higher at Messiah College than Old Dominion University ($39,700.00 vs. $27,465.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Old Dominion University than Messiah College ($16,150 vs. $29,882)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 22.5% lower than costs at Old Dominion University ($11,910 vs. $14,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Old Dominion University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 142.1% larger than aid received Old Dominion University ($24,223 vs. $10,006)

Messiah College vs. Old Dominion Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 109 points higher than at Old Dominion (1020)
  • Incoming Messiah College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Old Dominion (21)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Old Dominion (3.3)
  • Old Dominion has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than Messiah College (78.5%)

Messiah College vs. Old Dominion Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College or Old Dominion? 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 Old Dominion and Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Old Dominion University (74% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Messiah College earn on average $1,000 more per year than Old Dominion graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $47,600)
  • Old Dominion University students graduate with a $2,489 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,989)
  • Old Dominion graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($242 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Old Dominion students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 53%)

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