Messiah University vs Houghton College

Messiah University and Houghton College, both esteemed Christian liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Messiah, located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, boasts a higher acceptance rate (78%) compared to Houghton's (69%). Messiah's student body is more diverse, with a larger international student population. Houghton, nestled in Houghton, New York, excels in STEM fields, with popular majors like Biology and Engineering. Messiah, on the other hand, is known for its strong programs in Business and Education. While Houghton's graduation rate stands at 73%, Messiah's is slightly higher at 76%. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Houghton College	Messiah University
Overview
Location	Houghton, New York	Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Campus setting	Rural: Remote	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	75.0%	85.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Methodism	Interdenominational

Admission
Acceptance rate	79.1%	77.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $40	$50
SAT range	1080 - 1290	1100 - 1340
ACT range	20 - 31	23 - 31
Students submitting SAT score	28.0%	57.0%
Students submitting ACT score	6.0%	11.0%
Total number of applicants	1,008	2,458
Total number of admissions given out	797	1,902
Admitted students who chose to enroll	204	551
Yield rate	25.6%	29.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$27,846	$54,340
Average net price	$24,502	$23,895
Tuition	$15,900	$37,430
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,288 Meal plan: $4,568	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 $21,951	100.0% Average amount $26,620
Students receiving federal student loan	62.0% Average amount $5,120	65.0% Average amount $5,510
Students taking out private loans	18.0% Average amount $13,866	24.0% Average amount $11,228

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	863 Men 37.2% Women 62.8%	2,495 Men 39.0% Women 61.0%
Graduate students	32 Men 50.0% Women 50.0%	781 Men 28.6% Women 71.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	34.6%
International students	4.9%	2.8%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Remote	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,015	2,403
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Pennsylvania Maryland New Jersey New York Delaware

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

Outcome
Graduation rate	64.6%	77.0%
Dropout rate	13.2%	4.8%
Transferred out	22.2%	18.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $16,932 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,222 Year 2: $24,872 Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,411 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A	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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