Central vs. Messenger College

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

 Central Messenger College
Location Warrensburg, MO Joplin, TX
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 12,788 26
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #710
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucmo.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $8,325 $9,600
Tuition (Out of State) $16,650 $9,600
Room & Board $10,206 $12,635
Avg Net Price $15,728 $18,221
Avg Grant Aid $6,193 $7,978
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 100%

Admission

 Central Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,966 14
Admitted 3,407 7
Acceptance Rate 68.6% 50%
Enrolled % 31.1% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 Central Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

 Central Messenger College
Graduation Rate 50% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,500 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,441 N/A
Median Loan Payment $232 N/A

Diversity

 Central Messenger College
% Men 21% 19%
% Women 22% 35%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 54%
% Black 11% 18%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

 Central Messenger College
% In-State 86% 50%
% Out-of-State 12% 50%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Missouri is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (12,788 students vs. 26 students)

Central vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central or Messenger College?

  • Messenger College is 15.3% more expensive to attend than Central for in-state tuition ($9,600.00 vs. $8,325.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.4% higher at Central than Messenger College ($16,650.00 vs. $9,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Missouri than Messenger College ($15,728 vs. $18,221)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Missouri are 23.8% lower than costs at Messenger College ($10,206 vs. $12,635)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than University of Central Missouri (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messenger College students is 28.8% larger than aid received University of Central Missouri ($7,978 vs. $6,193)

Central vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Central students have a 0.78 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • Central has a higher acceptance rate (68.6%) than Messenger College (50%)

Central vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central 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 Central.

  • The graduation rate at Central is higher than Messenger College (50% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from University of Central Missouri earn on average $17,500 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $24,000)
  • More Central graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 40%)

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