Vassar vs. Messiah College

Should I go to Vassar College or Messiah College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Vassar or Messiah 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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Vassar College vs. Messiah College comparison
Vassar College Messiah College College 3 College 4
Vassar College Messiah College
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Overview

Vassar Messiah College
Location Poughkeepsie, NY Grantham, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,459 3,231
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #47 #358
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vassar.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Vassar Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $63,840 $38,550
Tuition (Out of State) $63,840 $38,550
Room & Board $16,560 $11,560
Avg Net Price $30,603 $24,120
Avg Grant Aid $50,193 $27,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 100%

Admission

Vassar Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,412 2,438
Admitted 2,129 1,936
Acceptance Rate 18.7% 79.4%
Enrolled % 32% 30.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 32/34 25/30
SAT Range 1430/1535 1090/1340
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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Vassar Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Vassar Messiah College
Graduation Rate 91% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,780 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $163 $268

Diversity

Vassar Messiah College
% Men 38% 37%
% Women 62% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 83%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Vassar Messiah College
% In-State 24% 63%
% Out-of-State 69% 35%

Campus

Vassar 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

  • Messiah College is larger than than Vassar based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 2,459 students)

Vassar vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Vassar or Messiah College?

  • Vassar College is 65.6% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($63,840.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.6% higher at Vassar than Messiah College ($63,840.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Vassar ($24,120 vs. $30,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 43.3% lower than costs at Vassar College ($11,560 vs. $16,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Vassar College (100% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vassar College students is 82.4% larger than aid received Messiah College ($50,193 vs. $27,519)

Vassar vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vassar College (1405) is 276 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
  • Incoming Vassar students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Vassar students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Messiah College (3.8)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than Vassar (18.7%)

Vassar vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Vassar 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 Vassar.

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Messiah College (91% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Vassar College earn on average $9,800 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $48,600)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $10,209 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($15,780 vs. $25,989)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($163 vs. $268)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messiah College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 85%)

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