Quad

Head-to-head

Messenger
Visible Music

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Messenger has 33 pts more Pell recipients than Visible Music (81% vs. 49%)

    Pell Grant recipients
  2. 2

    Visible Music graduates 23 pts more of its students than Messenger (36% vs. 13%)

    Graduation rate
  3. 3

    Visible Music has 3.3× as many undergrads as Messenger

    Undergrads
  4. 4

    Messenger's yield is 15 pts higher than Visible Music's

    Yield rate
  5. 5

    Visible Music grads earn $6.5K more ten years out than Messenger's ($35,933 vs. $29,463)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  6. 6

    Visible Music admits 28% vs. 38% at Messenger

    Acceptance rate

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Visible Music admits 28%, Messenger 38%; Messenger's yield is higher, at 67%.

Acceptance rate
Messenger38%
Visible Music28%
Quad's selectivity
  • MessengerAccessible
  • Visible MusicSelective
ACT middle 50%Axis 15–36
MessengerTest-blind
Visible Music
19–30
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • MessengerGPA and school record required
  • Visible MusicGPA and school record required

Who's on each campus

Visible Music has 3.3× as many undergrads as Messenger; Messenger has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Messenger24
Visible Music79
Pell Grant share
Messenger81%
Visible Music49%

Majors and faculty

Philosophy and Religious Studies leads at Messenger, and Music Performance at Visible Music; Visible Music has 6 students per faculty member to Messenger's 8.

Students per faculty member
Messenger8 to 1
Visible Music6 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • MessengerPhilosophy and Religious Studies, General67%
  • Visible MusicMusic Performance, General68%

What each costs

Only Messenger reports an average cost ($26.4K).

Average cost, all students
Messenger$26.4K
Visible MusicNot reported
Aid generosity
Messenger12%
Visible MusicNot reported

What each pays off

Visible Music's former students earn more, a median $35.9K ten years after enrolling; six-year graduation runs from 36% at Visible Music to 13% at Messenger.

Median earnings, 10 years
Messenger$29.5K
Visible Music$35.9K
Graduation rate
Messenger13%
Visible Music36%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why