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Maryland TU Mason UD Penn State NJIT UB Virginia Tech Rutgers UC Howard Stevens| University of Maryland Baltimore County | Messiah College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UMBC | Messiah College | ||
| Location | Baltimore, MD | Grantham, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 14,148 | 3,344 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #263 | #362 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | umbc.edu | messiah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UMBC | Messiah College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,238 | $39,700 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,594 | $39,700 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,204 | $11,910 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,704 | $29,882 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,956 | $24,223 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 100% |
Admission |
UMBC | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,150 | 2,375 | ||
| Admitted | 9,762 | 1,864 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.2% | 78.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.3% | 32% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 23/30 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 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 | Feb 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UMBC | Messiah College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UMBC | Messiah College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 57% | 74% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 67% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,197 | $25,989 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $268 |
Diversity |
UMBC | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 6% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 44% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 17% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
UMBC | Messiah College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 6% | 36% | ||
Campus |
UMBC | 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
- University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (14,148 students vs. 3,344 students)
UMBC vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Messiah College?
- Messiah College is 329.7% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $9,238.00)
- Out of state tuition is 49.3% higher at Messiah College than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($39,700.00 vs. $26,594.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Messiah College ($17,704 vs. $29,882)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 19.3% lower than costs at University of Maryland Baltimore County ($11,910 vs. $14,204)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than University of Maryland Baltimore County (100% vs. 87%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 143.3% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($24,223 vs. $9,956)
UMBC vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UMBC or Messiah College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Messiah College or UMBC .
- The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 80 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
- Incoming UMBC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Messiah College (25)
- Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Messiah College (3.8)
- Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than UMBC (74.2%)
UMBC vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.
- The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (74% vs. 57%)
- Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $10,900 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $48,600)
- University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $4,792 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($21,197 vs. $25,989)
- UMBC graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($219 vs. $268)
- More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/