PennWest California vs. Mercyhurst College

Should I go to PennWest California or Mercyhurst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or Mercyhurst College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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PennWest California vs. Mercyhurst College comparison
PennWest California Mercyhurst College College 3 College 4
PennWest California
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Overview

PennWest California Mercyhurst College
Location California, PA Erie, PA
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 6,509 2,801
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu mercyhurst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Mercyhurst College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $40,530
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $40,530
Room & Board $10,416 $14,025
Avg Net Price - $24,935
Avg Grant Aid $0 $32,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 95%

Admission

PennWest California Mercyhurst College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 3,625
Admitted - 2,920
Acceptance Rate 80.6%
Enrolled % 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Mercyhurst College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Mercyhurst College
Graduation Rate 53% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,698
Median Loan Payment $258 $276

Diversity

PennWest California Mercyhurst College
% Men 39% 40%
% Women 61% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 73%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

PennWest California Mercyhurst College
% In-State 86% 51%
% Out-of-State 13% 45%

Campus

PennWest California Mercyhurst College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Mercyhurst College based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 2,801 students)

PennWest California vs. Mercyhurst College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Mercyhurst College?

  • Mercyhurst College is 425.3% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($40,530.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 250.2% higher at Mercyhurst College than PennWest California ($40,530.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 34.6% lower than costs at Mercyhurst College ($10,416 vs. $14,025)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercyhurst College than PennWest California (95% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercyhurst College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($32,418 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California or Mercyhurst College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mercyhurst College or PennWest California .

  • Accepted freshman Mercyhurst College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. Mercyhurst College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Mercyhurst College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Mercyhurst College and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at Mercyhurst College is higher than PennWest California (68% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Mercyhurst College earn on average $1,200 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $1,698 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,698)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($258 vs. $276)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercyhurst College students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 56%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/