Rider University vs. Messiah College

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

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Rider University vs. Messiah College comparison
Rider University Messiah College College 3 College 4
Rider University Messiah College
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Overview

Rider University Messiah College
Location Lawrenceville, NJ Grantham, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,054 3,231
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #263 #358
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rider.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rider University Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $36,000 $38,550
Tuition (Out of State) $36,000 $38,550
Room & Board $16,130 $11,560
Avg Net Price $26,388 $24,120
Avg Grant Aid $26,336 $27,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Rider University Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,340 2,438
Admitted 7,858 1,936
Acceptance Rate 84.1% 79.4%
Enrolled % 9.9% 30.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.8
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/29 25/30
SAT Range 1100/1300 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

Academics

Rider University Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Education (15%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Rider University Messiah College
Graduation Rate 63% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,000 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $266 $268

Diversity

Rider University Messiah College
% Men 41% 37%
% Women 59% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 83%
% Black 12% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Rider University Messiah College
% In-State 74% 63%
% Out-of-State 23% 35%

Campus

Rider 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

  • Rider University is larger than than Messiah College based on total student enrollment (4,054 students vs. 3,231 students)

Rider University vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rider University or Messiah College?

  • Messiah College is 7.1% more expensive to attend than Rider University for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $36,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.1% higher at Messiah College than Rider University ($38,550.00 vs. $36,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Messiah College than Rider University ($24,120 vs. $26,388)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 39.5% lower than costs at Rider University ($11,560 vs. $16,130)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than Rider University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 4.5% larger than aid received Rider University ($27,519 vs. $26,336)

Rider University vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 115 points higher than at Rider University (1014)
  • Incoming Messiah College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Rider University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Rider University (3.41)
  • Rider University has a higher acceptance rate (84.1%) than Messiah College (79.4%)

Rider University vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rider 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 Rider University.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than Rider University (74% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Rider University earn on average $4,400 more per year than Messiah College graduates after ten years. ($53,000 vs. $48,600)
  • Rider University students graduate with a $239 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($25,750 vs. $25,989)
  • Rider University graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($266 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rider University students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 73%)

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