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Seattle U UW-Seattle PLU George Fox University Liberty University Whitworth University Western Washington University Eastern University Wheaton College Central Washington University Elizabethtown College Penn State| Messiah College | Seattle Pacific University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Messiah College | SPU | ||
| Location | Grantham, PA | Seattle, WA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,231 | 3,118 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #358 | #270 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Interdenominational | Free Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | messiah.edu | spu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Messiah College | SPU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $38,550 | $36,504 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $38,550 | $36,504 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,560 | $14,409 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $24,120 | $26,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,519 | $25,359 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
Messiah College | SPU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,438 | 3,895 | ||
| Admitted | 1,936 | 3,533 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 79.4% | 90.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 30.3% | 15.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.8 | 3.53 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 25/30 | 20/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1340 | 1080/1350 | ||
| 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 | Jul 11, 2025 |
Academics |
Messiah College | SPU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Messiah College | SPU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 74% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,600 | $50,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 82% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,989 | $25,603 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $264 |
Diversity |
Messiah College | SPU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 31% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 69% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 83% | 61% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 8% | ||
| % International | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Messiah College | SPU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 63% | 71% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 26% | ||
Campus |
Messiah College | SPU | ||
| 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
- Messiah College is larger than than SPU based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 3,118 students)
Messiah College vs. SPU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or SPU?
- Messiah College is 5.6% more expensive to attend than SPU for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $36,504.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.6% higher at Messiah College than Seattle Pacific University ($38,550.00 vs. $36,504.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than SPU ($24,120 vs. $26,549)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 24.6% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($11,560 vs. $14,409)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Seattle Pacific University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 8.5% larger than aid received Seattle Pacific University ($27,519 vs. $25,359)
Messiah College vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Messiah College or SPU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SPU or Messiah College .
- The average SAT score at Seattle Pacific University (1145) is 16 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
- Incoming SPU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Messiah College (25)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at SPU (3.53)
- SPU has a higher acceptance rate (90.7%) than Messiah College (79.4%)
Messiah College vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Messiah College or SPU? 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 SPU and Messiah College.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is the same as at Seattle Pacific University (74% vs. 74%)
- Graduates from Seattle Pacific University earn on average $1,800 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $48,600)
- Seattle Pacific University students graduate with a $386 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($25,603 vs. $25,989)
- SPU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($264 vs. $268)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SPU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/