Quad

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, PAQuad's selectivitySelective
Known forFaith-centered
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 11, 2026

  • Fall 2025: 2,472 applied (fall 2024: 2,458)Messiah University (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: 2,004 admits (fall 2024: 1,941)Messiah University (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: 81% admitted (fall 2024: 79%)Messiah University (Fall 2025)
  • Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Reading & Writing 580–700 (fall 2024: 570–680)Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Math 560–670 (fall 2024: 540–670)Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Fall 2027 applicants: Required for some applicants (fall 2024: Test-optional)Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Entered fall 2024: 88% returned for a second year (entered fall 2023: 89%)Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26

Sources:Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2025

8 in 10 applicants admitted

Messiah admits about 8 in 10 applicants (81%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 42% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

81%

81%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

2,472

Admitted

2,004

Yield

31%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.79

SAT middle 50%

1150–1350

10001600
ACT middle 50%

26–31

1836
Applications −1% since fall 2014 · admit rate 80% → 79%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 2,259 undergrads, where 20% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

2.3K

undergrads · larger than 60% of colleges

Diversity index

0.42

Pell Grant

20%

below the median

First generation

18%

below the median

Large suburbNCAA D-III · Middle Atlantic States Athletic CorporationROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.28 → 0.42 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (9% of graduates). 12 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 59% of colleges. 47% of faculty are full-time. Spends $10,324 a year on instruction per student.

12 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 59% of colleges

Most popular major

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

9% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Engineering, General

$84.9K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

47%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$10.3K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $30,194 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $5.9K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $29,408 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $56,770.

47%

$30.2K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $5.9K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$56,770 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Merit aid
31% · avg $20K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 47% of full price

Federal loans

54%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −14% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $54,064 ten years after enrolling, more than at 51% of colleges; 77% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.2 years of that salary.

77%

77%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$54.1K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$25.6K

≈ $272/month for 10 years

Retention

88%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 80% → 75% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price held about steady after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 14%, because grants grew faster. Applications held about steady since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 80% to 79%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −14% after inflation

  • Applications

    Steady

    −1%

  • Selectivity

    Steady

    admit rate 80% → 79% (to fall 2024)

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.28 → 0.42

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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The University of Findlay

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Eckerd College

76% admit · SAT 1245 · 1.9K undergrads

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Clarkson University

77% admit · SAT 1295 · 2.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Northeast
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    Messiah University Common Data Set 2025–26

    Messiah University · Fall 2025; Fall 2027 applicants; Entered fall 2024; 2025–26 (estimated); 2025–26; Fall 2026 entrants; Entered fall 2019; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-11

  4. 4
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    Messiah University (2026)

    Messiah University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 213996 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything