Wake Forest vs. Messiah College

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

Wake Forest Messiah College
Location Winston Salem, NC Grantham, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,121 3,344
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #362
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wfu.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wake Forest Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $63,608 $39,700
Tuition (Out of State) $63,608 $39,700
Room & Board $17,848 $11,910
Avg Net Price $27,790 $29,882
Avg Grant Aid $55,090 $24,223
% Receiving Grant Aid 34% 100%

Admission

Wake Forest Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,479 2,375
Admitted 3,768 1,864
Acceptance Rate 21.6% 78.5%
Enrolled % 36.8% 32%
Avg High School GPA - 3.8
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 32/34 22/30
SAT Range 1390/1510 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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Wake Forest Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Wake Forest Messiah College
Graduation Rate 88% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,200 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $237 $268

Diversity

Wake Forest Messiah College
% Men 16% 6%
% Women 24% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 83%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Wake Forest Messiah College
% In-State 15% 63%
% Out-of-State 76% 36%

Campus

Wake Forest Messiah College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 3,344 students)

Wake Forest vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wake Forest or Messiah College?

  • Wake Forest University is 60.2% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $39,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.2% higher at Wake Forest than Messiah College ($63,608.00 vs. $39,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than Messiah College ($27,790 vs. $29,882)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 49.9% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($11,910 vs. $17,848)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Wake Forest University (100% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 127.4% larger than aid received Messiah College ($55,090 vs. $24,223)

Wake Forest vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)

Wake Forest vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wake Forest 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 Wake Forest.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Messiah College (88% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $28,600 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $48,600)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $2,989 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($23,000 vs. $25,989)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($237 vs. $268)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messiah College students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 85%)

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