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State University of New York at New Paltz University at Albany- SUNY Pace University-New York Liberty University SUNY College at Oneonta SUNY College at Oswego Binghamton University SUNY Stony Brook Queens College Iona College UB Eastern University| SUNY at Purchase College | Messiah College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Purchase College | Messiah College | ||
| Location | Purchase, NY | Grantham, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 3,182 | 3,231 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #319 | #358 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | purchase.edu | messiah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Purchase College | Messiah College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,070 | $38,550 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $16,980 | $38,550 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,948 | $11,560 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,434 | $24,120 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,312 | $27,519 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 100% |
Admission |
Purchase College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,747 | 2,438 | ||
| Admitted | 4,292 | 1,936 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.7% | 79.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16% | 30.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 29/31 | 25/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1190/1350 | 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 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Purchase College | Messiah College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Purchase College | Messiah College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,200 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,500 | $25,989 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $232 | $268 |
Diversity |
Purchase College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 55% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 18% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
Purchase College | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 35% | ||
Campus |
Purchase College | Messiah College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Messiah College is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 3,182 students)
Purchase College vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Messiah College?
- Messiah College is 445.3% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $7,070.00)
- Out of state tuition is 127% higher at Messiah College than SUNY at Purchase College ($38,550.00 vs. $16,980.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Messiah College ($19,434 vs. $24,120)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 29.3% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($11,560 vs. $14,948)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than SUNY at Purchase College (100% vs. 73%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 166.9% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($27,519 vs. $10,312)
Purchase College vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Purchase College or Messiah College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messiah College or Purchase College .
- The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 47 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
- Incoming Purchase College students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Messiah College (25)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
- Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than Purchase College (74.7%)
Purchase College vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Purchase College 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 Purchase College.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (74% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Messiah College earn on average $8,400 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $40,200)
- SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $3,489 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,989)
- Purchase College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/