PVAMU vs. Messenger College

Comparable Facts

Compare Prairie View A & M University in Prairie View, TX with Messenger College in Bedford, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Prairie View A & M University is larger than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (9,922 students vs. 24 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Prairie View A & M University is located in Prairie View, TX (Distant Town setting); Messenger College is in Bedford, TX (Small City setting).
• Prairie View A & M University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Messenger College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Prairie View A & M University 17:1; Messenger College 8:1.

PVAMU vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PVAMU or Messenger College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Prairie View A & M University than Messenger College ($14,448 vs. $25,941).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Prairie View A & M University are 22.5% lower than at Messenger College ($10,317 vs. $13,305).
• Messenger College is 2.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than PVAMU (about $321 more per year; $11,620.00 vs. $11,299.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 131.3% higher at PVAMU than at Messenger College (about $15,254 more per year; $26,874.00 vs. $11,620.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Messenger College than at Prairie View A & M University (88% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Prairie View A & M University students is 300.2% larger than aid received by Messenger College students ($15,769 vs. $3,940).

PVAMU vs. Messenger College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, PVAMU or Messenger College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Messenger College and PVAMU.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Prairie View A & M University 860/1080.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Prairie View A & M University 16/21.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: PVAMU - Required; Messenger College - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: PVAMU Mar 1, 2027; Messenger College Jul 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman PVAMU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Messenger College (2.9).
• PVAMU has a higher acceptance rate (79.3%) than Messenger College (37.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.4% at PVAMU vs. 66.7% at Messenger College.

PVAMU vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for PVAMU and Messenger College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Prairie View A & M University's six-year graduation rate (34%) is higher than Messenger College's (10%).
• Graduates from Prairie View A & M University earn a median of about $15,000 more per year than Messenger College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $24,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Messenger College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PVAMU students, three years after graduation. (40% vs. 28%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.