William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Messiah College

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey Messiah College
Location Wayne, NJ Grantham, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,070 3,231
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #358
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $38,550
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $38,550
Room & Board $13,160 $11,560
Avg Net Price $12,967 $24,120
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $27,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 2,438
Admitted 6,464 1,936
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 79.4%
Enrolled % 12.5% 30.3%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.8
Typical High School Grades B- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30
SAT Range 990/1345 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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Messiah College
Graduation Rate 46% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $253 $268

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey Messiah College
% Men 35% 37%
% Women 65% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 83%
% Black 16% 3%
% Hispanic 27% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Messiah College
% In-State 92% 63%
% Out-of-State 6% 35%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey 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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (9,070 students vs. 3,231 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, William Paterson University of New Jersey or Messiah College?

  • Messiah College is 171.6% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $14,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.2% higher at Messiah College than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($38,550.00 vs. $23,192.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Messiah College ($12,967 vs. $24,120)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 13.8% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($11,560 vs. $13,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than William Paterson University of New Jersey (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 152% larger than aid received William Paterson University of New Jersey ($27,519 vs. $10,919)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 139 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.83 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than Messiah College (79.4%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William Paterson University of New Jersey 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 William Paterson University of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (74% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Messiah College earn on average $2,100 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $46,500)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey students graduate with a $1,489 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($24,500 vs. $25,989)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($253 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 59%)

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