PennWest Clarion vs. Gwynedd Mercy College

Should I go to PennWest Clarion or Gwynedd Mercy College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest Clarion or Gwynedd Mercy 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 Clarion vs. Gwynedd Mercy College comparison
PennWest Clarion Gwynedd Mercy College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 PennWest Clarion Gwynedd Mercy College
Location Clarion, PA Gwynedd Valley, PA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,922 2,091
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #315
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarion.edu gmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PennWest Clarion Gwynedd Mercy College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $36,052
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $36,052
Room & Board $12,930 $13,056
Avg Net Price - $28,122
Avg Grant Aid $0 $24,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 100%

Admission

 PennWest Clarion Gwynedd Mercy College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 1,063
Admitted - 621
Acceptance Rate 58.4%
Enrolled % 24.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.34
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range 1015/1235
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2025

Academics

 PennWest Clarion Gwynedd Mercy College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (2%)
  • Psychology (2%)

Outcomes

 PennWest Clarion Gwynedd Mercy College
Graduation Rate 49% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,200 $56,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

 PennWest Clarion Gwynedd Mercy College
% Men 28% 27%
% Women 72% 73%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 57%
% Black 8% 23%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 10%

Students

 PennWest Clarion Gwynedd Mercy College
% In-State 94% 80%
% Out-of-State 5% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest Clarion is larger than than Gwynedd Mercy College based on total student enrollment (3,922 students vs. 2,091 students)

PennWest Clarion vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest Clarion or Gwynedd Mercy College?

  • Gwynedd Mercy College is 367.2% more expensive to attend than PennWest Clarion for in-state tuition ($36,052.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 211.5% higher at Gwynedd Mercy College than PennWest Clarion ($36,052.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest Clarion are 1% lower than costs at Gwynedd Mercy College ($12,930 vs. $13,056)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gwynedd Mercy College than PennWest Clarion (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gwynedd Mercy College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest Clarion ($24,512 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at PennWest Clarion (934) is 10 points higher than at Gwynedd Mercy College (924)
  • Incoming PennWest Clarion students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at Gwynedd Mercy College (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest Clarion students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (3.34)

PennWest Clarion vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest Clarion or Gwynedd Mercy 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 Gwynedd Mercy College and PennWest Clarion.

  • The graduation rate at Gwynedd Mercy College is higher than PennWest Clarion (52% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Gwynedd Mercy College earn on average $17,400 more per year than PennWest Clarion graduates after ten years. ($56,600 vs. $39,200)
  • Gwynedd Mercy College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest Clarion graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Gwynedd Mercy College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest Clarion graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More PennWest Clarion graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gwynedd Mercy College students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 63%)

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