Messiah College vs. WCU

Should I go to Messiah College or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Messiah College or WCU 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. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Messiah College West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Messiah College West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

Messiah College WCU
Location Grantham, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,344 17,076
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #362 #532
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College WCU
Tuition (In State) $39,700 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $39,700 $19,290
Room & Board $11,910 $12,474
Avg Net Price $29,882 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $24,223 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 70%

Admission

Messiah College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,375 16,467
Admitted 1,864 13,042
Acceptance Rate 78.5% 79.2%
Enrolled % 32% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 24/28
SAT Range 1100/1340 1100/1270
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 WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

Messiah College WCU
Graduation Rate 74% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $242

Diversity

Messiah College WCU
% Men 6% 5%
% Women 17% 11%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 78%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Messiah College WCU
% In-State 63% 87%
% Out-of-State 36% 13%

Campus

Messiah College WCU
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

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (17,076 students vs. 3,344 students)

Messiah College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or WCU?

  • Messiah College is 414.5% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 105.8% higher at Messiah College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($39,700.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Messiah College ($21,684 vs. $29,882)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 4.7% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,910 vs. $12,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 340.2% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($24,223 vs. $5,503)

Messiah College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 57 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming Messiah College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Messiah College (78.5%)

Messiah College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College or WCU? 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 WCU and Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (74% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $400 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $48,600)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $2,489 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,989)
  • WCU 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 WCU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 75%)

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