10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$193,258at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Messiah University
⌖ Mechanicsburg, PA · 24 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$193,258 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
30.8 yrsModeled economic break-even
−68%Modeled 10-year ROI
$54,275Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$26,502Average net price / year
$55,875Cost of attendance
$54,275Median earnings · year 5 after completion
75.0%Completion rate
79.0%Admission rate
2,259Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$45,768Year 1
$58,620Year 4
$54,275Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Engineering, General · Bachelor's Degree$84,9272Accounting and Related Services · Bachelor's Degree$81,9073Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$77,8244Music · Master's Degree$77,3425Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$74,9416Marketing · Bachelor's Degree$67,9007Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's Degree$66,2228Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other · Graduate/Professional Certificate$65,838Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in PA
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Saint Davids, PA
Eastern University
- Annual net price
- $26,662
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,587
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -70%
Chestnut Hill College
- Annual net price
- $27,970
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,896
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -70%
Delaware Valley University
- Annual net price
- $28,278
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,756
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -70%
Juniata College
- Annual net price
- $23,988
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,474
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -69%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering, General | Bachelor's Degree | $84,927 | $25,798 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $81,907 | $23,625 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $77,824 | $27,000 |
| Music | Master's Degree | $77,342 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $74,941 | Not available |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $67,900 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $66,222 | $25,978 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $65,838 | Not available |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $60,976 | Not available |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $56,005 | $27,000 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Master's Degree | $55,966 | Not available |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $54,256 | $23,250 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Bachelor's Degree | $54,115 | $27,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $53,052 | $27,000 |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $52,511 | $27,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $46,813 | $27,000 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $45,982 | $27,000 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $45,522 | Not available |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $41,649 | Not available |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Not available | $26,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $26,000 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $27,000 |
| Religious Education | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $26,000 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $25,965 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.