Ringling College of Art and Design vs. Messenger College

Should I go to Ringling College of Art and Design or Messenger College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Ringling College of Art and Design 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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Ringling College of Art and Design vs. Messenger College comparison
Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College
Location Sarasota, FL Joplin, TX
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,705 19
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ringling.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $48,100 $9,480
Tuition (Out of State) $48,100 $9,480
Room & Board $16,300 $7,832
Avg Net Price $55,752 $17,197
Avg Grant Aid $18,411 $7,812
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

 Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,462 8
Admitted 1,593 4
Acceptance Rate 64.7% 50%
Enrolled % 26.1% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (84%)
  • Communications Technology (16%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

 Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College
Graduation Rate 66% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,800 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $279 N/A

Diversity

 Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College
% Men 27% 42%
% Women 73% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 54%
% Black 3% 18%
% Hispanic 16% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 15% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 8%

Students

 Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College
% In-State 24% 50%
% Out-of-State 54% 50%

Campus

 Ringling College of Art and Design Messenger College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ringling College of Art and Design is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (1,705 students vs. 19 students)

Ringling College of Art and Design vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ringling College of Art and Design or Messenger College?

  • Ringling College of Art and Design is 407.4% more expensive to attend than Messenger College for in-state tuition ($48,100.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 407.4% higher at Ringling College of Art and Design than Messenger College ($48,100.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messenger College than Ringling College of Art and Design ($17,197 vs. $55,752)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 108.1% lower than costs at Ringling College of Art and Design ($7,832 vs. $16,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than Ringling College of Art and Design (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ringling College of Art and Design students is 135.7% larger than aid received Messenger College ($18,411 vs. $7,812)

Ringling College of Art and Design vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Ringling College of Art and Design students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • Ringling College of Art and Design has a higher acceptance rate (64.7%) than Messenger College (50%)

Ringling College of Art and Design vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ringling College of Art and Design 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 Ringling College of Art and Design.

  • The graduation rate at Ringling College of Art and Design is higher than Messenger College (66% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from Ringling College of Art and Design earn on average $17,800 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($41,800 vs. $24,000)
  • More Ringling College of Art and Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 40%)

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