Gwynedd Mercy College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

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

Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Gwynedd Valley, PA Erie, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,091 3,295
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #315 #503
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gmc.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $36,052 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $36,052 $25,854
Room & Board $13,056 $12,984
Avg Net Price $28,122 $21,968
Avg Grant Aid $24,512 $9,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 71%

Admission

Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,063 4,363
Admitted 621 4,164
Acceptance Rate 58.4% 95.4%
Enrolled % 24.5% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.49
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 1015/1235 1095/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2025

Academics

Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (2%)
  • Psychology (2%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 52% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% Men 27% 64%
% Women 73% 36%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 79%
% Black 23% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 9%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 80% 74%
% Out-of-State 20% 19%

Campus

Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is larger than than Gwynedd Mercy College based on total student enrollment (3,295 students vs. 2,091 students)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gwynedd Mercy College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?

  • Gwynedd Mercy College is 134.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($36,052.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.4% higher at Gwynedd Mercy College than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($36,052.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than Gwynedd Mercy College ($21,968 vs. $28,122)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 0.6% lower than costs at Gwynedd Mercy College ($12,984 vs. $13,056)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gwynedd Mercy College than Penn State Erie Behrend College (100% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gwynedd Mercy College students is 153.1% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($24,512 vs. $9,685)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 130 points higher than at Gwynedd Mercy College (924)
  • Incoming Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (3.34)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than Gwynedd Mercy College (58.4%)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gwynedd Mercy College or Penn State Erie-Behrend 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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College and Gwynedd Mercy College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Gwynedd Mercy College (66% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Gwynedd Mercy College earn on average $1,300 more per year than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates after ten years. ($56,600 vs. $55,300)
  • Gwynedd Mercy College students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Gwynedd Mercy College graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gwynedd Mercy College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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