CCS vs. Messenger College

Comparable Facts

Compare College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI with Messenger College in Bedford, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College for Creative Studies is larger than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (1,433 students vs. 24 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College for Creative Studies is located in Detroit, MI (Large City setting); Messenger College is in Bedford, TX (Small City setting).
• College for Creative Studies is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Messenger College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College for Creative Studies 10:1; Messenger College 8:1.

CCS vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CCS or Messenger College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messenger College than CCS ($25,941 vs. $36,055).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 12.9% lower than at College for Creative Studies ($13,305 vs. $15,272).
• College for Creative Studies is 359.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Messenger College (about $41,730 more per year; $53,350.00 vs. $11,620.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 359.1% higher at CCS than at Messenger College (about $41,730 more per year; $53,350.00 vs. $11,620.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College for Creative Studies than at Messenger College (98% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College for Creative Studies students is 664.2% larger than aid received by Messenger College students ($30,108 vs. $3,940).

CCS vs. Messenger College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CCS or Messenger College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Messenger College and CCS.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CCS - Test-free; Messenger College - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Messenger College Jul 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman CCS students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Messenger College (2.9).
• CCS has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than Messenger College (37.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 24.9% at CCS vs. 66.7% at Messenger College.

CCS vs. Messenger College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CCS and Messenger College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• College for Creative Studies's six-year graduation rate (57%) is higher than Messenger College's (10%).
• Graduates from College for Creative Studies earn a median of about $22,100 more per year than Messenger College graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,100 vs. $24,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CCS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 40%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.