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Virginia Tech JMU Liberty University Annapolis Washington and Lee Citadel Military College of South Carolina Eastern University Wheaton College Mason Elizabethtown College Penn State Houghton College| Messiah College | Virginia Military Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Messiah College | VMI | ||
| Location | Grantham, PA | Lexington, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Distant Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 3,231 | 1,512 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #358 | #150 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Interdenominational | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | messiah.edu | vmi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Messiah College | VMI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $38,550 | $9,782 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $38,550 | $39,590 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,560 | $10,674 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $24,120 | $18,129 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,519 | $19,111 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 69% |
Admission |
Messiah College | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,438 | 1,192 | ||
| Admitted | 1,936 | 847 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 79.4% | 71.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 30.3% | 42.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.8 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/30 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1340 | 1105/1300 | ||
| 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 | VMI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Messiah College | VMI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 74% | 69% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,600 | $62,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,989 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $258 |
Diversity |
Messiah College | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 87% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 83% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
Messiah College | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 63% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 35% | ||
Campus |
Messiah College | VMI | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| 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 VMI based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 1,512 students)
Messiah College vs. VMI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or VMI?
- Messiah College is 294.1% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $9,782.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.7% higher at VMI than Messiah College ($39,590.00 vs. $38,550.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Messiah College ($18,129 vs. $24,120)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 8.3% lower than costs at Messiah College ($10,674 vs. $11,560)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 69%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 44% larger than aid received Virginia Military Institute ($27,519 vs. $19,111)
Messiah College vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Messiah College or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or Messiah College .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 10 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
- Incoming Messiah College students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at VMI (25)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at VMI (3.65)
- Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than VMI (71.1%)
Messiah College vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Messiah College or VMI? 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 VMI and Messiah College.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Virginia Military Institute (74% vs. 69%)
- Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $13,500 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $48,600)
- Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $989 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,989)
- VMI graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VMI 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/