Edward Waters College vs. Mount Mercy College

Should I go to Edward Waters College or Mount Mercy University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Edward Waters College or Mount 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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Edward Waters College vs. Mount Mercy University comparison
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Edward Waters College Mount Mercy University
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Overview

 Edward Waters College Mount Mercy College
Location Jacksonville, FL Cedar Rapids, IA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,181 1,526
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation African Methodist Episcopal Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ewc.edu mtmercy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Edward Waters College Mount Mercy College
Tuition (In State) $14,658 $36,606
Tuition (Out of State) $14,658 $36,606
Room & Board $8,010 $10,636
Avg Net Price $13,649 $24,078
Avg Grant Aid $12,984 $27,288
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Edward Waters College Mount Mercy College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,988 1,569
Admitted 7,509 1,181
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 75.3%
Enrolled % 4.2% 19%
Avg High School GPA 2.64 3.5
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/18
SAT Range 820/990
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Edward Waters College Mount Mercy College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)

Outcomes

 Edward Waters College Mount Mercy College
Graduation Rate 18% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $27,800 $45,900
Making Student Loan Payments 14% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $22,250
Median Loan Payment N/A $230

Diversity

 Edward Waters College Mount Mercy College
% Men 54% 36%
% Women 46% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 4% 81%
% Black 89% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 Edward Waters College Mount Mercy College
% In-State 77% 60%
% Out-of-State 20% 28%

Campus

 Edward Waters College Mount Mercy College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mount Mercy University is larger than than Edward Waters College based on total student enrollment (1,526 students vs. 1,181 students)

Edward Waters College vs. Mount Mercy College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Edward Waters College or Mount Mercy College?

  • Mount Mercy University is 149.7% more expensive to attend than Edward Waters College for in-state tuition ($36,606.00 vs. $14,658.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 149.7% higher at Mount Mercy College than Edward Waters College ($36,606.00 vs. $14,658.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Edward Waters College than Mount Mercy College ($13,649 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Edward Waters College are 32.8% lower than costs at Mount Mercy University ($8,010 vs. $10,636)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University than Edward Waters College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Mercy University students is 110.2% larger than aid received Edward Waters College ($27,288 vs. $12,984)

Edward Waters College vs. Mount Mercy College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mount Mercy University (990) is 209 points higher than at Edward Waters College (781)
  • Incoming Mount Mercy College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Edward Waters College (16)
  • Accepted freshman Mount Mercy College students have a 0.86 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Edward Waters College (2.64)
  • Edward Waters College has a higher acceptance rate (83.5%) than Mount Mercy College (75.3%)

Edward Waters College vs. Mount Mercy College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Edward Waters College or Mount 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 Mount Mercy College and Edward Waters College.

  • The graduation rate at Mount Mercy College is higher than Edward Waters College (60% vs. 18%)
  • Graduates from Mount Mercy University earn on average $18,100 more per year than Edward Waters College graduates after ten years. ($45,900 vs. $27,800)
  • More Mount Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Edward Waters College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 14%)

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