Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, PA · Private · Large suburb

Private institution in Mechanicsburg, PA · 2,318 undergraduates · 78% acceptance rate · $54,064 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 12%Graduation rate (4-year)
Top 22%Full-time retention
Top 23%Median ACT

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $27,6861,629th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $40,6401,674th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $40,6401,649th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $53,9391,586th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $25,6211,418th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $54,064849th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $50,192527th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 78.5%241st highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 85.4%411th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 78.5%861st most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 1214363rd highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 27222nd highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 2,318854th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 12.0:1794th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 20.0%1,724th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 70 mi (BWI)

On 1 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Most Selective Colleges in Pennsylvania#41

Applying

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: $50
Personal essay: Optional / not required
Writing supplement: No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 61 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$61,603	$62,546
Engineering, GeneralEngineering	bachelors	$58,286	$60,623
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$55,512	$53,608
Computer Science	bachelors	$52,107	$51,273
International BusinessBusiness	bachelors	$46,087	—
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation	bachelors	$41,640	$40,621
MarketingBusiness	bachelors	$40,896	$37,054
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$40,456	$49,214
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsHomeland Security & Law Enforcement	bachelors	$38,289	$31,581
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationCommunications	bachelors	$38,289	—
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasEducation	bachelors	$37,748	$35,594
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsHealth Professions	bachelors	$35,416	—

Campus facts

Religious affiliation: Interdenominationalsource
Founded in 1909source
School colors: #00205B and #FFFFFFsource
Athletic nickname: "Falcons"source
Mascot: Flex the Falconsource
Motto: "Christ Preeminent"source
Formerly known as "Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home" (1909–1921)source
Formerly known as "Messiah Bible School" (1921–1951)source
Formerly known as "Messiah College" (1951–2020)source
Athletic conference: Middle Atlantic Conferencessource

Athletics — 11 sports

NCAA Division III without football · NCAA Division III

Athletic scholarships not allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0)

Field Hockey: 2016
Soccer: 2019, 2017, 2013, 2012, 2011 +3

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Athletic scholarships are not allowed by association rule; non-athletic merit or need-based aid may still be available.