Gwynedd Mercy College vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

 Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Gwynedd Valley, PA Center Valley, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,091 888
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #315
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gmc.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $36,052 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $36,052 $24,318
Room & Board $13,056 $12,984
Avg Net Price $28,122 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $24,512 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 78%

Admission

 Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,063 1,806
Admitted 621 1,699
Acceptance Rate 58.4% 94.1%
Enrolled % 24.5% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/26
SAT Range 1015/1235 1100/1290
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 Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (2%)
  • Psychology (2%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

 Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 52% 47%
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 Lehigh Valley
% Men 27% 57%
% Women 73% 43%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 64%
% Black 23% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

 Gwynedd Mercy College Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 80% 93%
% Out-of-State 20% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Gwynedd Mercy College is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (2,091 students vs. 888 students)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gwynedd Mercy College or Penn State Lehigh Valley?

  • Gwynedd Mercy College is 146.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($36,052.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.3% higher at Gwynedd Mercy College than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($36,052.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Gwynedd Mercy College ($18,142 vs. $28,122)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley (100% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gwynedd Mercy College students is 147.9% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($24,512 vs. $9,886)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019) is 95 points higher than at Gwynedd Mercy College (924)
  • Incoming Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (3.34)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Gwynedd Mercy College (58.4%)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gwynedd Mercy College or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Lehigh Valley and Gwynedd Mercy College.

  • The graduation rate at Gwynedd Mercy College is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (52% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Gwynedd Mercy College earn on average $1,300 more per year than Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Gwynedd Mercy College graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Lehigh Valley 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/