Missouri Southern vs. Messenger College

Should I go to Missouri Southern State University or Messenger College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Missouri Southern or Messenger College 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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Missouri Southern State University vs. Messenger College comparison
Missouri Southern State University Messenger College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Missouri Southern Messenger College
Location Joplin, MO Joplin, TX
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 4,090 26
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #921
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mssu.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Missouri Southern Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $8,400 $9,600
Tuition (Out of State) $16,800 $9,600
Room & Board $7,172 $12,635
Avg Net Price $11,264 $18,221
Avg Grant Aid $7,514 $7,978
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 100%

Admission

 Missouri Southern Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,302 14
Admitted 2,243 7
Acceptance Rate 97.4% 50%
Enrolled % 25.8% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 1000/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 Missouri Southern Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

 Missouri Southern Messenger College
Graduation Rate 33% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,600 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,831 N/A
Median Loan Payment $215 N/A

Diversity

 Missouri Southern Messenger College
% Men 1% 19%
% Women 3% 35%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 54%
% Black 6% 18%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 5%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

 Missouri Southern Messenger College
% In-State 67% 50%
% Out-of-State 27% 50%

Campus

 Missouri Southern Messenger College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Missouri Southern State University is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (4,090 students vs. 26 students)

Missouri Southern vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Missouri Southern or Messenger College?

  • Messenger College is 14.3% more expensive to attend than Missouri Southern for in-state tuition ($9,600.00 vs. $8,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75% higher at Missouri Southern than Messenger College ($16,800.00 vs. $9,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Missouri Southern State University than Messenger College ($11,264 vs. $18,221)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Missouri Southern State University are 76.2% lower than costs at Messenger College ($7,172 vs. $12,635)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than Missouri Southern State University (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messenger College students is 6.2% larger than aid received Missouri Southern State University ($7,978 vs. $7,514)

Missouri Southern vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Missouri Southern students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • Missouri Southern has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Messenger College (50%)

Missouri Southern vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Missouri Southern or Messenger College? 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 Messenger College and Missouri Southern.

  • The graduation rate at Missouri Southern is higher than Messenger College (33% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from Missouri Southern State University earn on average $12,600 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($36,600 vs. $24,000)
  • More Missouri Southern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 40%)

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