Mercer vs. Messiah College

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

Mercer Messiah College
Location Macon, GA Grantham, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,889 3,231
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #236 #358
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercer.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mercer Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $39,408 $38,550
Tuition (Out of State) $39,408 $38,550
Room & Board $14,046 $11,560
Avg Net Price $22,087 $24,120
Avg Grant Aid $33,740 $27,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Mercer Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,556 2,438
Admitted 5,643 1,936
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 79.4%
Enrolled % 15.9% 30.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.98 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31 25/30
SAT Range 1190/1360 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 Jul 1, 2024

Academics

Mercer Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Mercer Messiah College
Graduation Rate 60% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,300 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

Mercer Messiah College
% Men 33% 37%
% Women 67% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 83%
% Black 31% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Mercer Messiah College
% In-State 86% 63%
% Out-of-State 13% 35%

Campus

Mercer 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

  • Mercer University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 3,231 students)

Mercer vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercer or Messiah College?

  • Mercer University is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($39,408.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Mercer than Messiah College ($39,408.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercer University than Messiah College ($22,087 vs. $24,120)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 21.5% lower than costs at Mercer University ($11,560 vs. $14,046)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University as Messiah College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercer University students is 22.6% larger than aid received Messiah College ($33,740 vs. $27,519)

Mercer vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mercer University (1217) is 88 points higher than at Messiah College (1129)
  • Incoming Mercer students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Messiah College (3.8)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than Mercer (74.7%)

Mercer vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mercer 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 Mercer.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Mercer University (74% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Mercer University earn on average $8,700 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($57,300 vs. $48,600)
  • Mercer University students graduate with a $989 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,989)
  • Mercer graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 45%)

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