RPI vs. Messiah College

Should I go to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute or Messiah College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RPI or Messiah 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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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute vs. Messiah College comparison
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Messiah College College 3 College 4
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Messiah College
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Overview

 RPI Messiah College
Location Troy, NY Grantham, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,968 3,231
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #358
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rpi.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 RPI Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $58,600 $38,550
Tuition (Out of State) $58,600 $38,550
Room & Board $16,980 $11,560
Avg Net Price $39,127 $24,120
Avg Grant Aid $38,636 $27,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 100%

Admission

 RPI Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,863 2,438
Admitted 10,878 1,936
Acceptance Rate 64.5% 79.4%
Enrolled % 18.4% 30.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/34 25/30
SAT Range 1360/1520 1090/1340
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 RPI Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

 RPI Messiah College
Graduation Rate 84% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,500 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $284 $268

Diversity

 RPI Messiah College
% Men 69% 37%
% Women 31% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 83%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 11% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 RPI Messiah College
% In-State 36% 63%
% Out-of-State 58% 35%

Campus

 RPI Messiah College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 3,231 students)

RPI vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RPI or Messiah College?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 52% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52% higher at RPI than Messiah College ($58,600.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than RPI ($24,120 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 46.9% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($11,560 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students is 40.4% larger than aid received Messiah College ($38,636 vs. $27,519)

RPI vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1368) is 239 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
  • Incoming RPI students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman RPI students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Messiah College (3.8)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than RPI (64.5%)

RPI vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RPI or Messiah 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 Messiah College and RPI.

  • The graduation rate at RPI is higher than Messiah College (84% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $33,900 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $48,600)
  • Messiah College students graduate with a $1,511 lower median federal student loan debt than RPI graduates. ($25,989 vs. $27,500)
  • Messiah College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than RPI graduates. ($268 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messiah College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 85%)

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