Regional university
#3 Best colleges for social work in PennsylvaniaMessiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $26,502 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,621 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#88 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#76 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#122 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#145 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#158 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#126 of 834
Show 17 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#277 of 1,829
- Best colleges for business in America#252 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#216 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#210 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#132 of 744
- Best colleges for psychology in America#275 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#360 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#261 of 1,283
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#278 of 1,358
- Best test-optional colleges in America#316 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#259 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#274 of 1,247
- Best mid-size colleges in America#149 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#273 of 1,215
- Best colleges for music in America#254 of 1,063
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#278 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#271 of 1,116
In Pennsylvania
- Best colleges for social work in Pennsylvania#3 of 34
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Pennsylvania#10 of 82
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Pennsylvania#8 of 56
- Best colleges for nursing in Pennsylvania#10 of 68
- Best colleges for accounting in Pennsylvania#14 of 80
- Best colleges for business in Pennsylvania#20 of 108
Show 10 more
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Pennsylvania#18 of 90
- Best colleges for education in Pennsylvania#18 of 85
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Pennsylvania#25 of 118
- Best colleges in Pennsylvania#26 of 118
- Best colleges for psychology in Pennsylvania#24 of 105
- Best test-optional colleges in Pennsylvania#26 of 113
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Pennsylvania#14 of 60
- Best colleges for marketing in Pennsylvania#14 of 60
- Best colleges for finance in Pennsylvania#14 of 58
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Pennsylvania#25 of 98
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.75%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.89%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,236 · ACT 28.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$10,324
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $55,875 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,586 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 43% · Women 57% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 18% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 37% |
| Total students | 3,344 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $26,502 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $55,875 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,621 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 75% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 71% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 72% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 83% |
| First-year retention | 89% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $54,064 |
| Admission rate | 79% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Average SAT | 1236 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 570–680 |
| SAT math | 540–670 |
| ACT composite | 26–31 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Solid (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Engineering (general) | |
| Accounting | |
| Nursing | |
| Computer science | |
| Marketing | |
| Business administration | |
| Allied health | |
| Health sciences | |
| Secondary education | |
| Teacher education | |
| Social work | |
| Family and human development | |
| Psychology | |
| Broadcasting | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Arts management, Bible/Biblical Studies, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Biopsychology, Chemistry, Civil engineering, Communication studies, Communications Technologies/Technicians, Criminal justice, Dance, Design, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Economics, Electrical engineering, English, Film and video, Finance, German, History, Information technology, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, Journalism, Kinesiology and exercise science, Management science, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Philosophy, Physics, Political science, Pre-health, Public relations, Religious Education, Romance languages, Sociology, Special education, Sustainability Studies, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Education | |
| Business | |
| Engineering | |
| Visual and performing arts |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 2% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $13,098 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Middle Atlantic States Athletic Corporation |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 10%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 47%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $44,399IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 93% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Harrisburg International Airport (MDT)About 12 miles away |
| Nearest major airport | Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)About 70 miles away |
| Town population | 9,720Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BaltimoreAbout 62 miles away |
| Typical weather | 33°F in January · 78°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Harrisburg Cptl Cy Airport, PA, about 8 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.59 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 2.22 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Messiah University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 20% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Messiah University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $26,502 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Messiah University?
- Messiah University admitted 79% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Messiah University’s graduates do?
- 75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $54,064; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,621.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 213996
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Interdenominational
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Colleges like this one
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