Gwynedd Mercy College vs. WCU

Should I go to Gwynedd Mercy College or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Gwynedd Mercy College or WCU 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. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Gwynedd Mercy College West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

 Gwynedd Mercy College WCU
Location Gwynedd Valley, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,091 17,275
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #315 #496
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gmc.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Gwynedd Mercy College WCU
Tuition (In State) $36,052 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $36,052 $19,290
Room & Board $13,056 $14,228
Avg Net Price $28,122 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $24,512 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 64%

Admission

 Gwynedd Mercy College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,063 14,778
Admitted 621 12,982
Acceptance Rate 58.4% 87.8%
Enrolled % 24.5% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30
SAT Range 1015/1235 1080/1260
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 WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (2%)
  • Psychology (2%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Gwynedd Mercy College WCU
Graduation Rate 52% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,600 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $242

Diversity

 Gwynedd Mercy College WCU
% Men 27% 39%
% Women 73% 61%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 78%
% Black 23% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 10% 0%

Students

 Gwynedd Mercy College WCU
% In-State 80% 87%
% Out-of-State 20% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Gwynedd Mercy College based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 2,091 students)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gwynedd Mercy College or WCU?

  • Gwynedd Mercy College is 367.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($36,052.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.9% higher at Gwynedd Mercy College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($36,052.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Gwynedd Mercy College ($22,973 vs. $28,122)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gwynedd Mercy College are 9% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($13,056 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gwynedd Mercy College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gwynedd Mercy College students is 350.3% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($24,512 vs. $5,443)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 148 points higher than at Gwynedd Mercy College (924)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (20)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (3.34)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Gwynedd Mercy College (58.4%)

Gwynedd Mercy College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gwynedd Mercy College or WCU? 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 WCU and Gwynedd Mercy College.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Gwynedd Mercy College (68% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Gwynedd Mercy College earn on average $7,600 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($56,600 vs. $49,000)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Gwynedd Mercy College graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Gwynedd Mercy College graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gwynedd Mercy College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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