More selective than 59% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $55,875. College Scorecard.
Higher than 79% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 85% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 30% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 53% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Messiah University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 2,375 applicants, Messiah University admitted 1,864 and 596 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1110–1350 on the SAT or 26–31 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Messiah University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant
What Messiah University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Messiah University took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $19,393 | $78,736 | 4.3 years |
| $30–48k | $20,317 | $82,487 | 4.5 years |
| $48–75k | $20,916 | $84,919 | 4.6 years |
| $75–110k | $23,574 | $95,710 | 5.2 years |
| $110k+ | $31,847 | $129,299 | 7.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (74% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($54,064) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,267 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Messiah University majors, earnings & careers
Messiah University offers 62 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Business & Finance · 8
- Science & Math · 8
- Arts & Design · 7
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Engineering · 6
- Health & Medicine · 6
- Communications & Media · 5
- Education · 3
- Technology & Computing · 2
Highest-earning majors at Messiah University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | $84,927 | $25,798 |
| Accounting | $81,907 | $23,625 |
| Nursing | $77,824 | $27,000 |
| Computer Science | $74,941 | — |
| Marketing | $67,900 | — |
| Business Administration | $66,222 | $25,978 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $56,005 | $27,000 |
| Health Sciences | $54,256 | $23,250 |
Quick list of all 62 majors
- Accounting$81,907
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$56,005
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Bible Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Biopsychology—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$45,522
- Business Administration$66,222
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other—
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering—
- Communications—
- Communications Technologies / Technicians—
- Computer Science$74,941
- Criminal Justice—
- Dance—
- Dietetics—
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$53,052
- Education (Subject Teaching)$54,115
- Electrical Engineering—
- Engineering$84,927
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Sciences$54,256
- History—
- Human Development and Family Studies$46,813
- Information Technology—
- International Business—
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing$67,900
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering—
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing$77,824
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies—
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology$45,982
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Religious Education—
- Social Work$52,511
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education—
- Studio Art$41,649
- Sustainability Studies—
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Harrisburg
Overall prices in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,598. Housing costs 4% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 46 inches of rain a year, 24 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Cumberland County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Cumberland County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Messiah University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Messiah University | 79% | $26,502 | 75% | $54,064 | This school |
| Elizabethtown College | 78% | $26,598 | 76% | $62,399 | |
| DeSales University | 77% | $31,643 | 72% | $61,295 | |
| Saint Francis University | 77% | $23,526 | 74% | $62,101 | |
| Susquehanna University | 81% | $28,819 | 82% | $61,723 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Messiah University would cost you $96 less per year than Elizabethtown College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Messiah University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$4,290).
- Messiah University gives aided families $5,106 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Messiah University | Elizabethtown College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $42,240 | $37,950 | +$4,290 |
| Books & supplies | $1,460 | $1,100 | +$360 |
| Housing & meals | $11,910 | $12,954 | −$1,044 |
| Personal & travel | $2,760 | $1,050 | +$1,710 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,495 | −$2,189 | −$306 |
| Sticker price | $55,875 | $50,865 | +$5,010 |
| Average grants | −$29,373 | −$24,267 | −$5,106 |
| You pay | $26,502 | $26,598 | −$96 |
“+” means Messiah University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Messiah University
What is the Messiah University acceptance rate?
Messiah University accepts 79% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,864 of 2,375 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1110–1350 on the SAT or 26–31 on the ACT.
How much does Messiah University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $55,875 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $26,502 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $19,393 and families earning $110k+ pay $31,847.
How much do Messiah University graduates earn?
Former Messiah University students earn a median $54,064 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Messiah University graduation rate?
75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 89% return for their second year.
How long does a Messiah University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Messiah University costs about $84,919 after grants ($20,916 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $54,064 ten years after starting, $18,267 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 4.6 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Messiah University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/messiah-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).