Purchase College vs. Messiah College

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

Purchase College Messiah College
Location Purchase, NY Grantham, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,182 3,231
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #358
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu messiah.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College Messiah College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $38,550
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $38,550
Room & Board $14,948 $11,560
Avg Net Price $19,434 $24,120
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $27,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 100%

Admission

Purchase College Messiah College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 2,438
Admitted 4,292 1,936
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 79.4%
Enrolled % 16% 30.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.8
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 29/31 25/30
SAT Range 1190/1350 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

Purchase College Messiah College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Purchase College Messiah College
Graduation Rate 56% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,989
Median Loan Payment $232 $268

Diversity

Purchase College Messiah College
% Men 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 83%
% Black 10% 3%
% Hispanic 18% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Purchase College Messiah College
% In-State 85% 63%
% Out-of-State 14% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Messiah College is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (3,231 students vs. 3,182 students)

Purchase College vs. Messiah College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Messiah College?

  • Messiah College is 445.3% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($38,550.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 127% higher at Messiah College than SUNY at Purchase College ($38,550.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Messiah College ($19,434 vs. $24,120)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messiah College are 29.3% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($11,560 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Messiah College than SUNY at Purchase College (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Messiah College students is 166.9% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($27,519 vs. $10,312)

Purchase College vs. Messiah College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Messiah College (1129) is 47 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Messiah College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Messiah College students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Messiah College has a higher acceptance rate (79.4%) than Purchase College (74.7%)

Purchase College vs. Messiah College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Messiah College is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (74% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Messiah College earn on average $8,400 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $3,489 lower median federal student loan debt than Messiah College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,989)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Messiah College graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
  • More Messiah College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 65%)

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