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Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel| Messiah College | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Messiah College | Penn State | ||
| Location | Grantham, PA | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,344 | 50,399 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #362 | #171 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Interdenominational | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | messiah.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Messiah College | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $39,700 | $19,672 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,700 | $39,626 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,910 | $13,030 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $29,882 | $27,450 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $24,223 | $11,577 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 36% |
Admission |
Messiah College | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,375 | 85,956 | ||
| Admitted | 1,864 | 46,605 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 78.5% | 54.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 32% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.8 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 22/30 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1340 | 1220/1400 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
Messiah College | Penn State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Messiah College | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 74% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,600 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,989 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $277 |
Diversity |
Messiah College | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 17% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 83% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
Messiah College | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 63% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 36% | 40% | ||
Campus |
Messiah College | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 3,344 students)
Messiah College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or Penn State?
- Messiah College is 101.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $19,672.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Messiah College than Penn State Main Campus ($39,700.00 vs. $39,626.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Messiah College ($27,450 vs. $29,882)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 9.4% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($11,910 vs. $13,030)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 36%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 109.2% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($24,223 vs. $11,577)
Messiah College vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Messiah College or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or Messiah College .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 73 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
- Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Messiah College (25)
- Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than Penn State (54.2%)
Messiah College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Messiah College or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Messiah College.
- The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Messiah College (87% vs. 74%)
- Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $6,700 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,600)
- Messiah College students graduate with a $829 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($25,989 vs. $26,818)
- Messiah College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/