UCO-Central vs. Messenger College

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

 UCO-Central Messenger College
Location Edmond, OK Joplin, TX
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 12,148 26
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #798
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uco.edu messengercollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCO-Central Messenger College
Tuition (In State) $7,284 $9,600
Tuition (Out of State) $18,171 $9,600
Room & Board $8,886 $12,635
Avg Net Price $18,893 $18,221
Avg Grant Aid $6,309 $7,978
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

 UCO-Central Messenger College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,945 14
Admitted 4,043 7
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 50%
Enrolled % 46.7% 100%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 UCO-Central Messenger College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

 UCO-Central Messenger College
Graduation Rate 36% 10%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 $24,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,393 N/A
Median Loan Payment $210 N/A

Diversity

 UCO-Central Messenger College
% Men 5% 19%
% Women 9% 35%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 54%
% Black 9% 18%
% Hispanic 9% 13%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 5%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

 UCO-Central Messenger College
% In-State 90% 50%
% Out-of-State 5% 50%

Campus

 UCO-Central 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 Central Oklahoma is larger than than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (12,148 students vs. 26 students)

UCO-Central vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCO-Central or Messenger College?

  • Messenger College is 31.8% more expensive to attend than UCO-Central for in-state tuition ($9,600.00 vs. $7,284.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 89.3% higher at UCO-Central than Messenger College ($18,171.00 vs. $9,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messenger College than UCO-Central ($18,221 vs. $18,893)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Oklahoma are 42.2% lower than costs at Messenger College ($8,886 vs. $12,635)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messenger College than University of Central Oklahoma (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messenger College students is 26.5% larger than aid received University of Central Oklahoma ($7,978 vs. $6,309)

UCO-Central vs. Messenger College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UCO-Central students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Messenger College (2.9)
  • UCO-Central has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than Messenger College (50%)

UCO-Central vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCO-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 UCO-Central.

  • The graduation rate at UCO-Central is higher than Messenger College (36% vs. 10%)
  • Graduates from University of Central Oklahoma earn on average $20,600 more per year than Messenger College graduates after ten years. ($44,600 vs. $24,000)
  • More UCO-Central graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 40%)

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