Worcester State University vs. Messiah College

Should I go to Worcester State University or Messiah College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Worcester State University 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Worcester State University vs. Messiah College comparison
Worcester State University Messiah College College 3 College 4
Worcester State University Messiah College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Worcester State University Messiah College
Location Worcester, MA Grantham, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,611 3,344
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #565 #362
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website worcester.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Worcester State University Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $970 $39,700
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $39,700
Room & Board $12,999 $11,910
Avg Net Price $14,307 $29,882
Avg Grant Aid $7,332 $24,223
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 100%

Admission

Worcester State University Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,745 2,375
Admitted 4,264 1,864
Acceptance Rate 89.9% 78.5%
Enrolled % 21.3% 32%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.8
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 1008/1280 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 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

Worcester State University Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Worcester State University Messiah College
Graduation Rate 47% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $206 $268

Diversity

Worcester State University Messiah College
% Men 3% 6%
% Women 13% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 83%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Worcester State University Messiah College
% In-State 92% 63%
% Out-of-State 6% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Worcester State University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (5,611 students vs. 3,344 students)

Worcester State University vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Worcester State University or Messiah College?

  • Messiah College is 3,992.8% more expensive to attend than Worcester State University for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 463.1% higher at Messiah College than Worcester State University ($39,700.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Worcester State University than Messiah College ($14,307 vs. $29,882)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 9.1% lower than costs at Worcester State University ($11,910 vs. $12,999)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Worcester State University (100% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 230.4% larger than aid received Worcester State University ($24,223 vs. $7,332)

Worcester State University vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 109 points higher than at Worcester State University (1020)
  • Incoming Messiah College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Worcester State University (23)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Worcester State University (3.3)
  • Worcester State University has a higher acceptance rate (89.9%) than Messiah College (78.5%)

Worcester State University vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Worcester State University 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 Worcester State University.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Worcester State University (74% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Worcester State University earn on average $600 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $48,600)
  • Worcester State University students graduate with a $5,989 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($20,000 vs. $25,989)
  • Worcester State University graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($206 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Worcester State University students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 66%)

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