Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Mercyhurst College

Should I go to Gustavus Adolphus College or Mercyhurst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Gustavus Adolphus College 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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Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Mercyhurst College comparison
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Gustavus Adolphus College
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Overview

Gustavus Adolphus College Mercyhurst College
Location Saint Peter, MN Erie, PA
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 2,072 2,801
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gustavus.edu mercyhurst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gustavus Adolphus College Mercyhurst College
Tuition (In State) $52,490 $40,530
Tuition (Out of State) $52,490 $40,530
Room & Board $11,010 $14,025
Avg Net Price $30,297 $24,935
Avg Grant Aid $32,808 $32,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 95%

Admission

Gustavus Adolphus College Mercyhurst College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,781 3,625
Admitted 2,794 2,920
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 80.6%
Enrolled % 16.6% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Gustavus Adolphus College Mercyhurst College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Gustavus Adolphus College Mercyhurst College
Graduation Rate 82% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,300 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,698
Median Loan Payment $279 $276

Diversity

Gustavus Adolphus College Mercyhurst College
% Men 45% 40%
% Women 55% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 73%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Gustavus Adolphus College Mercyhurst College
% In-State 79% 51%
% Out-of-State 15% 45%

Campus

Gustavus Adolphus College Mercyhurst 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

  • Mercyhurst College is larger than than Gustavus Adolphus College based on total student enrollment (2,801 students vs. 2,072 students)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Mercyhurst College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gustavus Adolphus College or Mercyhurst College?

  • Gustavus Adolphus College is 29.5% more expensive to attend than Mercyhurst College for in-state tuition ($52,490.00 vs. $40,530.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.5% higher at Gustavus Adolphus College than Mercyhurst College ($52,490.00 vs. $40,530.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercyhurst College than Gustavus Adolphus College ($24,935 vs. $30,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gustavus Adolphus College are 27.4% lower than costs at Mercyhurst College ($11,010 vs. $14,025)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercyhurst College than Gustavus Adolphus College (95% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gustavus Adolphus College students is 1.2% larger than aid received Mercyhurst College ($32,808 vs. $32,418)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Mercyhurst College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Gustavus Adolphus College students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Mercyhurst College (3.36)
  • Mercyhurst College has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Gustavus Adolphus College (73.9%)

Gustavus Adolphus College vs. Mercyhurst College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gustavus Adolphus College 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 Gustavus Adolphus College.

  • The graduation rate at Gustavus Adolphus College is higher than Mercyhurst College (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Gustavus Adolphus College earn on average $12,600 more per year than Mercyhurst College graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $43,700)
  • Mercyhurst College students graduate with a $302 lower median federal student loan debt than Gustavus Adolphus College graduates. ($26,698 vs. $27,000)
  • Mercyhurst College graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Gustavus Adolphus College graduates. ($276 vs. $279)
  • More Gustavus Adolphus College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercyhurst College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 56%)

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