Syracuse vs. Messiah College

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

Syracuse Messiah College
Location Syracuse, NY Grantham, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,948 3,344
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #160 #362
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website syr.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Syracuse Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $61,310 $39,700
Tuition (Out of State) $61,310 $39,700
Room & Board $18,444 $11,910
Avg Net Price $51,520 $29,882
Avg Grant Aid $29,110 $24,223
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

Syracuse Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,089 2,375
Admitted 17,545 1,864
Acceptance Rate 41.7% 78.5%
Enrolled % 20.9% 32%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.8
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32 22/30
SAT Range 1260/1430 1100/1340
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 1, 2026

Academics

Syracuse Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Syracuse Messiah College
Graduation Rate 80% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,900 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

Syracuse Messiah College
% Men 14% 6%
% Women 17% 17%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 83%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Syracuse Messiah College
% In-State 32% 63%
% Out-of-State 57% 36%

Campus

Syracuse 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

  • Syracuse University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (22,948 students vs. 3,344 students)

Syracuse vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Syracuse or Messiah College?

  • Syracuse University is 54.4% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($61,310.00 vs. $39,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.4% higher at Syracuse than Messiah College ($61,310.00 vs. $39,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Syracuse ($29,882 vs. $51,520)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 54.9% lower than costs at Syracuse University ($11,910 vs. $18,444)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Syracuse University (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Syracuse University students is 20.2% larger than aid received Messiah College ($29,110 vs. $24,223)

Syracuse vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Syracuse University (1195) is 66 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
  • Incoming Syracuse students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Syracuse (3.69)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than Syracuse (41.7%)

Syracuse vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Syracuse 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 Syracuse.

  • The graduation rate at Syracuse is higher than Messiah College (80% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn on average $17,300 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($65,900 vs. $48,600)
  • Messiah College students graduate with a $1,011 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($25,989 vs. $27,000)
  • Messiah College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Syracuse students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 80%)

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