Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Private four-year · Suburb: Large
2,586undergraduates
79%admitted
Test-optionalSAT/ACT
$29,882average net price per year
78%graduate in 6 years
85%return for year two
Admissions
- Applicants
- 2,375
- Admitted
- 1,864
- Admit rate
- 79%
- Admit rate, women
- 79%
- Admit rate, men
- 78%
- Admitted students who enroll
- 32%
- First-year students
- 596
- SAT/ACT
- Test-optional
- Students who sent SAT scores
- 56%
- SAT reading and writing (middle 50%)
- 560-670
- SAT math (middle 50%)
- 540-670
- Students who sent ACT scores
- 6%
- ACT composite (middle 50%)
- 22-30
| High school GPA | Required |
|---|---|
| High school record | Required |
| College-prep coursework | Required |
| SAT or ACT scores | Considered, not required |
| Recommendations | Considered, not required |
| Essay or personal statement | Required |
| Class rank | Considered, not required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required |
| Work experience | Considered, not required |
| Legacy status | Not considered |
Majors
74 undergraduate programs that awarded a degree or certificate last year, grouped by field. Numbers are how many were awarded.
Health professions and related programs (4)
- Dietetics/Dietitian Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Bachelor's (50 awarded)
- Pre-Occupational Therapy Studies Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse Bachelor's (43 awarded)
Education (14)
- Art Teacher Education Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Biology Teacher Education Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Chemistry Teacher Education Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching Bachelor's (19 awarded)
- Education/Teaching of Individuals in Elementary Special Education Programs Bachelor's (7 awarded)
- English/Language Arts Teacher Education Bachelor's (4 awarded)
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education Bachelor's (4 awarded)
- Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching Bachelor's (8 awarded)
- Mathematics Teacher Education Bachelor's (4 awarded)
- Music Teacher Education Bachelor's (14 awarded)
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Social Studies Teacher Education Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Spanish Language Teacher Education Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor Certificate (under 1 year) (6 awarded)
Business, management, marketing, and related support services (7)
- Accounting Bachelor's (13 awarded)
- Actuarial Science Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Business Administration and Management, General Bachelor's (25 awarded)
- Digital Marketing Certificate (under 1 year) (20 awarded)
- Finance, General Bachelor's (14 awarded)
- International Business/Trade/Commerce Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General Bachelor's (7 awarded)
Engineering (5)
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering Bachelor's (4 awarded)
- Civil Engineering, General Bachelor's (7 awarded)
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering Bachelor's (12 awarded)
- Engineering, General Bachelor's (8 awarded)
- Mechanical Engineering Bachelor's (20 awarded)
Visual and performing arts (10)
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Dance, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Fine/Studio Arts, General Bachelor's (14 awarded)
- Graphic Design Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Music Management Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Music Performance, General Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Music, General Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Music, Other Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Musical Theatre Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Psychology (1)
- Psychology, General Bachelor's (38 awarded)
Biological and biomedical sciences (3)
- Biochemistry Bachelor's (10 awarded)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General Bachelor's (16 awarded)
- Molecular Biology Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Communication, journalism, and related programs (4)
- Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia Bachelor's (9 awarded)
- Journalism Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Bachelor's (10 awarded)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric Bachelor's (6 awarded)
Multi/interdisciplinary studies (4)
- Biopsychology Bachelor's (10 awarded)
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Sustainability Studies Bachelor's (8 awarded)
Computer and information sciences and support services (2)
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Bachelor's (12 awarded)
- Computer Science Bachelor's (8 awarded)
Family and consumer sciences/human sciences (1)
- Family and Community Services Bachelor's (17 awarded)
Social sciences (4)
- Development Economics and International Development Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Economics, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Political Science and Government, General Bachelor's (10 awarded)
- Sociology, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
English language and literature/letters (1)
- English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's (12 awarded)
Public administration and social service professions (1)
- Social Work Bachelor's (9 awarded)
History (2)
- History, General Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Public/Applied History Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Mathematics and statistics (1)
- Mathematics, General Bachelor's (6 awarded)
Theology and religious vocations (1)
- Religious Education Bachelor's (6 awarded)
Communications technologies/technicians and support services (1)
- Communications Technology/Technician Bachelor's (5 awarded)
Homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting and related protective services (1)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies Bachelor's (5 awarded)
Natural resources and conservation (1)
- Environmental Science Bachelor's (4 awarded)
Parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology (2)
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Physical sciences (1)
- Physics, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics (2)
- Chinese Language and Literature Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Spanish Language and Literature Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Philosophy and religious studies (1)
- Philosophy Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Graduate programs (18)
- Athletic Training/Trainer Master's
- Dietetics/Dietitian Master's
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Master's, Post-master's certificate
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management Master's
- Nursing Practice Master's, Doctorate (professional)
- Occupational Therapy/Therapist Master's
- Physical Therapy/Therapist Doctorate (professional)
- Art Teacher Education Post-bachelor's certificate
- Education, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education Post-bachelor's certificate
- Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Master's
- Music Teacher Education Master's
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching Post-bachelor's certificate
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other Post-bachelor's certificate
- Music Performance, General Master's, Post-master's certificate
- Business Administration and Management, General Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Organizational Leadership Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management Master's
Cost and aid
- Tuition and fees, in-state
- $40,640
- Housing and food on campus
- $11,910
- Books and supplies
- $1,460
- Other on-campus costs
- $2,760
- Total cost on campus, in-state
- $56,770
- Total cost on campus, out-of-state
- $56,770
- Total cost living at home
- $45,750
Published prices for 2023-24.
| Family income | Per year |
|---|---|
| $0-30,000 | $23,234 |
| $30,001-48,000 | $23,515 |
| $48,001-75,000 | $22,689 |
| $75,001-110,000 | $27,326 |
| Over $110,000 | $31,609 |
Net price is the full cost minus grants and scholarships, for full-time first-year students who got aid in 2022-23.
- First-year students who got any aid
- 100%
- Got grants or scholarships
- 100%
- Average grant or scholarship
- $24,223
- Got a grant from the college
- 100%
- Average grant from the college
- $21,885
- Undergraduates with a Pell grant
- 20%
- First-year students who borrowed
- 63%
- Average amount borrowed
- $11,755
Graduation
- Bachelor's in 4 years
- 74%
- Bachelor's in 5 years
- 78%
- Bachelor's in 6 years
- 78%
- Bachelor's in 8 years
- 77%
- Any degree in 6 years (all students)
- 78%
- Transferred to another college
- 17%
- Came back for year two
- 85%
| Pell grant students | 73% |
|---|---|
| Subsidized loan, no Pell | 77% |
| Neither | 83% |
| Group | Students | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 399 | 80% |
| Men | 266 | 76% |
| Asian | 16 | 63% (small group) |
| Black | 16 | 56% (small group) |
| Hispanic | 50 | 68% |
| White | 542 | 80% |
| Two or more races | 18 | 83% (small group) |
| Race unknown | 5 | 80% (small group) |
| International | 18 | 78% (small group) |
| Started | Students | Earned a degree or certificate here | Enrolled at another college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started here, full-time | 700 | 76% | 19% |
| Transferred in, full-time | 110 | 75% | 20% |
| Transferred in, part-time | 5 | 40% (small group) | 20% |
Graduation rates follow students who started full-time for the first time in fall 2017. Groups under 20 students are marked because a few students change the rate a lot.
Students
- Total students
- 3,344
- Undergraduates
- 2,586
- Full-time undergraduates
- 2,254
- Part-time undergraduates
- 332
- Graduate students
- 758
- Students per faculty member
- 12 to 1
- First-year students from in state
- 63%
- From out of state
- 36%
- From other countries
- 1%
- Undergraduates age 25 and up
- 2%
- Undergraduates taking all classes online
- 8%
- Undergraduates registered with disability services
- 11%
| Women | 60% |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0% |
| Asian | 4% |
| Black | 4% |
| Hispanic | 8% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 76% |
| Two or more races | 4% |
| Race unknown | 1% |
| International | 2% |
Campus life
- Setting
- Suburb: Large
- Address
- One University Avenue, Mechanicsburg, PA, 17055
- County
- Cumberland County
- Type
- Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
- Highest degree
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship and professional practice
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Religious affiliation
- Interdenominational
- Athletics
- NCAA
- Teams include
- basketball, baseball, cross country and track
- Offers
- Army ROTC, Study abroad, Teacher certification, Online programs, Credit for AP exams, Yellow Ribbon (veterans)
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2022-23 to 2024-25 surveys), and the College Scorecard.