Messiah College vs. Widener University-Main Campus

Should I go to Messiah College or Widener University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Messiah College or Widener University-Main Campus 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. Widener University Main Campus comparison
Messiah College Widener University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Messiah College Widener University Main Campus
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Overview

Messiah College Widener University-Main Campus
Location Grantham, PA Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,231 5,416
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #358 #364
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu widener.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College Widener University-Main Campus
Tuition (In State) $38,550 $50,624
Tuition (Out of State) $38,550 $50,624
Room & Board $11,560 $15,200
Avg Net Price $24,120 $32,185
Avg Grant Aid $27,519 $32,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Messiah College Widener University-Main Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,438 5,961
Admitted 1,936 5,227
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 87.7%
Enrolled % 30.3% 10.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.46
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 22/29
SAT Range 1090/1340 1105/1290
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 Widener University-Main Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

Messiah College Widener University-Main Campus
Graduation Rate 74% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Messiah College Widener University-Main Campus
% Men 37% 34%
% Women 63% 66%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 70%
% Black 3% 13%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Messiah College Widener University-Main Campus
% In-State 63% 61%
% Out-of-State 35% 38%

Campus

Messiah College Widener University-Main Campus
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

  • Widener University Main Campus is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (5,416 students vs. 3,231 students)

Messiah College vs. Widener University-Main Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or Widener University-Main Campus?

  • Widener University Main Campus is 31.3% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($50,624.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.3% higher at Widener University-Main Campus than Messiah College ($50,624.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Widener University-Main Campus ($24,120 vs. $32,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 31.5% lower than costs at Widener University Main Campus ($11,560 vs. $15,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Widener University Main Campus (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Widener University Main Campus students is 17.8% larger than aid received Messiah College ($32,412 vs. $27,519)

Messiah College vs. Widener University-Main Campus Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 97 points higher than at Widener University-Main Campus (1032)
  • Incoming Messiah College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Widener University-Main Campus (23)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Widener University-Main Campus (3.46)
  • Widener University-Main Campus has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Messiah College (79.4%)

Messiah College vs. Widener University-Main Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College or Widener University-Main Campus? 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 Widener University-Main Campus and Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Widener University Main Campus (74% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Widener University Main Campus earn on average $10,900 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $48,600)
  • Messiah College students graduate with a $1,011 lower median federal student loan debt than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($25,989 vs. $27,000)
  • Messiah College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Widener University-Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 68%)

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