Messiah College vs. Wilkes

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

Messiah College Wilkes
Location Grantham, PA Wilkes-Barre, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,231 5,207
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #358 #478
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website messiah.edu wilkes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Messiah College Wilkes
Tuition (In State) $38,550 $39,134
Tuition (Out of State) $38,550 $39,134
Room & Board $11,560 $15,850
Avg Net Price $24,120 $27,918
Avg Grant Aid $27,519 $29,441
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Messiah College Wilkes
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,438 4,798
Admitted 1,936 4,517
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 94.1%
Enrolled % 30.3% 10.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 21/26
SAT Range 1090/1340 1060/1260
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

Academics

Messiah College Wilkes
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Messiah College Wilkes
Graduation Rate 74% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,989 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $268

Diversity

Messiah College Wilkes
% Men 37% 31%
% Women 63% 69%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 73%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Messiah College Wilkes
% In-State 63% 75%
% Out-of-State 35% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wilkes University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (5,207 students vs. 3,231 students)

Messiah College vs. Wilkes Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Messiah College or Wilkes?

  • Wilkes University is 1.5% more expensive to attend than Messiah College for in-state tuition ($39,134.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.5% higher at Wilkes than Messiah College ($39,134.00 vs. $38,550.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Wilkes ($24,120 vs. $27,918)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 37.1% lower than costs at Wilkes University ($11,560 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Wilkes University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes University students is 7% larger than aid received Messiah College ($29,441 vs. $27,519)

Messiah College vs. Wilkes Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 76 points higher than at Wilkes (1053)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Wilkes (3.56)
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Messiah College (79.4%)

Messiah College vs. Wilkes Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Messiah College or Wilkes? 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 Wilkes and Messiah College.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Wilkes University (74% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Wilkes University earn on average $9,600 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $48,600)
  • Messiah College students graduate with a $11 lower median federal student loan debt than Wilkes graduates. ($25,989 vs. $26,000)
  • Wilkes University and Messiah College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($268 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wilkes students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 75%)

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