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UMBC Maryland Salisbury WCU Frostburg State University WVU Stevenson University Howard Bowie State University Goucher College URI Liberty University| Towson University | Messiah College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
TU | Messiah College | ||
| Location | Towson, MD | Grantham, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 19,527 | 3,344 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #375 | #362 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | towson.edu | messiah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
TU | Messiah College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,382 | $39,700 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,402 | $39,700 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,644 | $11,910 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,064 | $29,882 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,565 | $24,223 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 100% |
Admission |
TU | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,948 | 2,375 | ||
| Admitted | 15,689 | 1,864 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 82.8% | 78.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.2% | 32% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.69 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/28 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1270 | 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 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
TU | Messiah College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
TU | Messiah College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,500 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,750 | $25,989 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $183 | $268 |
Diversity |
TU | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 61% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 18% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
TU | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 36% | ||
Campus |
TU | Messiah College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Towson University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (19,527 students vs. 3,344 students)
TU vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, TU or Messiah College?
- Messiah College is 437.8% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $7,382.00)
- Out of state tuition is 62.7% higher at Messiah College than Towson University ($39,700.00 vs. $24,402.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Messiah College ($15,064 vs. $29,882)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 31.4% lower than costs at Towson University ($11,910 vs. $15,644)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Towson University (100% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 109.5% larger than aid received Towson University ($24,223 vs. $11,565)
TU vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, TU or Messiah College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messiah College or TU .
- The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 48 points higher than at TU (1081)
- Incoming Messiah College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at TU (23)
- Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at TU (3.69)
- TU has a higher acceptance rate (82.8%) than Messiah College (78.5%)
TU vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, TU 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 TU.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Towson University (74% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Towson University earn on average $4,900 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $48,600)
- Towson University students graduate with a $8,239 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($17,750 vs. $25,989)
- TU graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($183 vs. $268)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/