Messiah University vs DeSales University

Messiah University and DeSales University, both located in Pennsylvania, offer distinct educational experiences for prospective students. Messiah University, a private Christian institution, boasts a higher acceptance rate (78%) compared to DeSales University's 68%. Messiah's student body is predominantly White (79%) and female (59%), while DeSales' student body is more diverse, with a larger percentage of Hispanic (13%) and male (49%) students. In terms of academics, Messiah University excels in the fields of Nursing, Business, and Education, while DeSales University is known for its strong programs in Nursing, Biology, and Psychology. Both universities offer competitive graduation rates, with Messiah University's rate at 73% and DeSales University's at 70%. To help you make an informed decision, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more, allowing you to assess which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences

	DeSales University	Messiah University
Overview
Location	Center Valley, Pennsylvania	Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Campus setting	Rural: Fringe	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 and Graduate
Students retention rate	81.0%	85.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Catholic	Interdenominational

Admission
Acceptance rate	78.2%	77.4%
Application fees	$50	$50
SAT range	1080 - 1260	1100 - 1340
ACT range	23 - 29	23 - 31
Students submitting SAT score	31.0%	57.0%
Students submitting ACT score	4.0%	11.0%
Total number of applicants	3,554	2,458
Total number of admissions given out	2,780	1,902
Admitted students who chose to enroll	516	551
Yield rate	18.6%	29.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$56,182	$54,340
Average net price	$27,965	$23,895
Tuition	$39,500	$37,430
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,400 Meal plan: $6,900	Room/dormitory: $5,970 Meal plan: $5,250
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $27,263	100.0% Average amount $26,620
Students receiving federal student loan	71.0% Average amount $5,226	65.0% Average amount $5,510
Students taking out private loans	17.0% Average amount $18,524	24.0% Average amount $11,228

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,309 Men 36.6% Women 63.4%	2,495 Men 39.0% Women 61.0%
Graduate students	792 Men 32.8% Women 67.2%	781 Men 28.6% Women 71.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	31.0%	34.6%
International students	0.3%	2.8%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Fringe	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,160	2,403
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Pennsylvania New Jersey New York Delaware Maryland	Pennsylvania Maryland New Jersey New York Delaware

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Visual & Performing Arts Psychology	Health Professions Education Business Visual & Performing Arts Engineering
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	69.3%	77.0%
Dropout rate	16.6%	4.8%
Transferred out	13.4%	18.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $106,682 Year 2: $104,510 Year 3: $109,514 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,494 Year 2: $99,251 Year 3: $102,552 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $77,404 Year 2: $79,284 Year 3: $80,800 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,552 Year 2: $66,852 Year 3: $66,763 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $61,120 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,366 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $59,563 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,149 Year 2: $58,673 Year 3: $59,246 Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $51,535 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,561 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $51,199 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,378 Year 2: $51,392 Year 3: $51,181	Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,515 Year 2: $60,623 Year 3: $64,027 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,062 Year 2: $53,608 Year 3: $62,810 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,117 Year 2: $62,546 Year 3: $62,631 Music (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,416 Year 2: $55,693 Year 3: $56,809 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,254 Year 2: $49,214 Year 3: $53,924 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $32,970 Year 2: $37,568 Year 3: $47,853 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,875 Year 2: $37,054 Year 3: $47,113 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,733 Year 2: $40,621 Year 3: $45,156 Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $43,616 Year 2: $39,523 Year 3: $44,488 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,316 Year 2: $35,594 Year 3: $41,855

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