Lees-McRae College vs Messenger College

Lees-McRae College and Messenger College, both located in North Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences. Lees-McRae, a private institution, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Messenger's 67%. While Messenger has a slightly larger student body, Lees-McRae's student population is more diverse. Both colleges offer a range of undergraduate programs, with Lees-McRae excelling in fields like Business, Education, and Health Professions, while Messenger specializes in Business, Criminal Justice, and Psychology. With comparable graduation rates, both institutions provide ample opportunities for students to succeed. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these colleges' unique offerings and make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Lees-McRae College logo

Lees-McRae College

Messenger College logo

Messenger College

Overview

Location Banner Elk, North Carolina Bedford, Texas
Campus setting Rural: Distant Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 67.0% 50.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Presbyterian Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 59.2% 100.0%
Application fees $25 $35
SAT range 1040 - 1240 N/A
ACT range 20 - 26 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 17.0%
Students submitting ACT score 26.0%
Total number of applicants 1,777 8
Total number of admissions given out 1,052 8
Admitted students who chose to enroll 247 7
Yield rate 23.5% 87.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $43,040 $26,341
Average net price $25,894 $14,115
Tuition $26,490 $8,400
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,400

Meal plan: $6,150
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $18,350
100.0%
Average amount $8,310
Students receiving federal student loan 75.0%
Average amount $6,664
100.0%
Average amount $5,500
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $13,196
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 872
Men 34.7% Women 65.3%
31
Men 41.9% Women 58.1%
Graduate students 1
Men 0.0% Women 100.0%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 47.5% 75.0%
International students 3.3% N/A
Campus local/setting Rural: Distant Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 680 68
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from North Carolina South Carolina Florida Virginia Georgia Arkansas Colorado Oklahoma Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Business
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies
  • Theology
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools

Outcome

Graduation rate 40.4% 46.1%
Dropout rate 18.2% 38.5%
Transferred out 41.4% 7.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,914
  • Year 2: $63,935
  • Year 3: $66,973
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,268
  • Year 2: $44,649
  • Year 3: $49,738
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,351
  • Year 2: $34,393
  • Year 3: $36,519
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,325
  • Year 2: $28,816
  • Year 3: $36,175
Zoology/Animal Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,174
  • Year 2: $20,596
  • Year 3: $25,820
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $21,052
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,560
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,244
  • Year 2: $23,456
  • Year 3: N/A
Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,980
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
N/A

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