UAFS vs. Messenger College

Should I go to University of Arkansas Fort Smith or Messenger College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UAFS 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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University of Arkansas Fort Smith vs. Messenger College comparison
University of Arkansas Fort Smith Messenger College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 UAFS Messenger College
Location Fort Smith, AR Joplin, TX
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 5,379 19
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uafortsmith.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UAFS Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $4,104 $9,480
Tuition (Out of State) $11,376 $9,480
Room & Board $9,645 $7,832
Avg Net Price $10,705 $17,197
Avg Grant Aid $8,283 $7,812
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 UAFS Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 8
Admitted - 4
Acceptance Rate 50%
Enrolled % 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 UAFS Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Precision Production Trades (10%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (10%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

 UAFS Messenger College
Graduation Rate 23% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,000 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,132 N/A
Median Loan Payment $146 N/A

Diversity

 UAFS Messenger College
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 54%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 11% 13%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

 UAFS Messenger College
% In-State 87% 50%
% Out-of-State 12% 50%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (5,379 students vs. 19 students)

UAFS vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or Messenger College?

  • Messenger College is 131% more expensive to attend than UAFS for in-state tuition ($9,480.00 vs. $4,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20% higher at UAFS than Messenger College ($11,376.00 vs. $9,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than Messenger College ($10,705 vs. $17,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 23.1% lower than costs at University of Arkansas Fort Smith ($7,832 vs. $9,645)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith as Messenger College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students is 6% larger than aid received Messenger College ($8,283 vs. $7,812)

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

  • Accepted freshman UAFS students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Messenger College (2.9)

UAFS vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UAFS 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 UAFS.

  • The graduation rate at UAFS is higher than Messenger College (23% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas Fort Smith earn on average $11,000 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($35,000 vs. $24,000)
  • More UAFS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 40%)

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