Safety Score
8.07 /1K students
incidents per 1,000 enrolled
Mechanicsburg, PA · Clery Act 2023 · Private Nonprofit
Messiah University
According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 3,344-student campus.
- 8.07
- Incidents / 1k students
- #2,807
- Rank of 3,050
- #120
- PA rank
- 3,344
- Enrolled students
Data updated June 2026
The verdict
Messiah University reports 8.07 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,807 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 94% of ranked campuses its size.
- 8.07
- incidents / 1,000 students
- #2,807
- of 3,050 ranked nationally
- 94%
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 11
- on-campus incidents, 2023
Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2023
Messiah University increased from 6 to 11 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesMessiah University is a Private Nonprofit institution located in Mechanicsburg, PA, enrolling approximately 3,344 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 17 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within PA, it ranks #120 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →
With 3,344 enrolled students, this campus sits in the small college bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.
The most frequently reported category at Messiah University is "Fondling" with 7 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in PA averaging 1.56 incidents per 1,000 students, Messiah University reports 419% more incidents per student.
Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 8 total fires. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 18 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.
National Rank
#2807
See peer comparison
State Rank (PA)
#120
within state peers
Incidents (2023)
11
across 11 crime categories
Where Messiah University sits among ranked U.S. campuses
On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students
8 safer than 6% of 1,807 ranked campuses
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023
Safety percentile vs. peers
Messiah University percentile rank 8.0%
National median
Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2807 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.
Reporting density vs peer median
Messiah University reports 419% more incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $42,240
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $42,240
- Avg Net Price
- $26,502
- Median Debt
- $25,621
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 20%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 79%
- SAT Average
- 1236
- SAT Math Range
- 540–670
- ACT Average
- 27
- ACT Range
- 26–31
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 77%
- Retention Rate
- 89%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $50,192
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $54,064
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 88%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyMessiah University: on-campus incidents by year
Rising
| Crime Type | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggravated Assault | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Burglary | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Fondling | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rape | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
18 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 13 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 1 | 1 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 5 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2021 | 0 | 4 |
| Weapons | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
Messiah University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).
PA
Messiah University
8.07 incidents / 1,000 students
NJ
Warren County Community College
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
MS
Northeast Mississippi Community College
1.80 incidents / 1,000 students
Similar Institutions
Warren County Community College
Washington, NJ · 3,342 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Northeast Mississippi Community College
Booneville, MS · 3,338 enrolled
Safety Score 1.80
Barnard College
New York, NY · 3,353 enrolled
Safety Score 2.98
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Kirkland, WA · 3,357 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Champlain College
Burlington, VT · 3,328 enrolled
Safety Score 3.00
Closest by National Rank
Institutions ranked nearest Messiah University nationally (rank #2807), regardless of size or state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Messiah University safe?
Messiah University has a safety score of 8.07 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,807 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at Messiah University?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does Messiah University compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in PA.
Does Messiah University have fire safety data?
Yes. Messiah University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 8 fires were reported in the most recent year.
Understanding Messiah University's Safety Profile
Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, PA enrolls 3,344 students and has a safety score of 8.07 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2807 nationally. This higher score indicates more reported incidents relative to enrollment, though context matters, urban campuses and larger institutions may have different reporting dynamics.
Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents increased from 6 in 2022 to 11 in 2023.
Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 8 fires were reported in the most recent year.
What this means for you
Messiah University's 8.07 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.
- Weigh Messiah University against similar-size campuses, scale changes what the raw count means. Compare campuses
- A higher count can mean stronger reporting, not more danger. How the data works
- Clery covers campus grounds only. Campus vs. city crime
Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.
Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.