Messiah College vs. Saint Joseph's University

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

Messiah College Saint Joseph's University
Location Grantham, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 3,231 7,861
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #358 #141
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu sju.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College Saint Joseph's University
Tuition (In State) $38,550 $49,410
Tuition (Out of State) $38,550 $49,410
Room & Board $11,560 $15,285
Avg Net Price $24,120 $33,777
Avg Grant Aid $27,519 $29,822
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Messiah College Saint Joseph's University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,438 9,708
Admitted 1,936 8,609
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 88.7%
Enrolled % 30.3% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 26/31
SAT Range 1090/1340 1150/1330
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 Saint Joseph's University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Messiah College Saint Joseph's University
Graduation Rate 74% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $64,000
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $23,008
Median Loan Payment $268 $237

Diversity

Messiah College Saint Joseph's University
% Men 37% 41%
% Women 63% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 80%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Messiah College Saint Joseph's University
% In-State 63% 50%
% Out-of-State 35% 48%

Campus

Messiah College Saint Joseph's University
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

  • Saint Joseph's University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (7,861 students vs. 3,231 students)

Messiah College vs. Saint Joseph's University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or Saint Joseph's University?

  • Saint Joseph's University is 28.2% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($49,410.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.2% higher at Saint Joseph's University than Messiah College ($49,410.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Saint Joseph's University ($24,120 vs. $33,777)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 32.2% lower than costs at Saint Joseph's University ($11,560 vs. $15,285)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College as Saint Joseph's University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Joseph's University students is 8.4% larger than aid received Messiah College ($29,822 vs. $27,519)

Messiah College vs. Saint Joseph's University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Saint Joseph's University (3.65)
  • Saint Joseph's University has a higher acceptance rate (88.7%) than Messiah College (79.4%)

Messiah College vs. Saint Joseph's University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College or Saint Joseph's University? 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 Saint Joseph's University and Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Joseph's University is higher than Messiah College (76% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Saint Joseph's University earn on average $15,400 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $48,600)
  • Saint Joseph's University students graduate with a $2,981 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($23,008 vs. $25,989)
  • Saint Joseph's University graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($237 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Joseph's University students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 78%)

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