Iona College vs. Gwynedd Mercy College

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

Iona College Gwynedd Mercy College
Location New Rochelle, NY Gwynedd Valley, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,621 2,091
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #440 #315
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iona.edu gmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iona College Gwynedd Mercy College
Tuition (In State) $42,128 $36,052
Tuition (Out of State) $42,128 $36,052
Room & Board $17,740 $13,056
Avg Net Price $28,827 $28,122
Avg Grant Aid $28,273 $24,512
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Iona College Gwynedd Mercy College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,228 1,063
Admitted 6,004 621
Acceptance Rate 96.4% 58.4%
Enrolled % 13.5% 24.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.34
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31
SAT Range 1030/1210 1015/1235
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 Feb 15, 2025 Aug 20, 2025

Academics

Iona College Gwynedd Mercy College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (37%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (2%)
  • Psychology (2%)

Outcomes

Iona College Gwynedd Mercy College
Graduation Rate 57% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $56,600
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,047 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $269 $258

Diversity

Iona College Gwynedd Mercy College
% Men 45% 27%
% Women 55% 73%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 57%
% Black 8% 23%
% Hispanic 22% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 10%

Students

Iona College Gwynedd Mercy College
% In-State 78% 80%
% Out-of-State 20% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iona College is larger than than Gwynedd Mercy College based on total student enrollment (3,621 students vs. 2,091 students)

Iona College vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Cost Comparison

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

  • Iona College is 16.9% more expensive to attend than Gwynedd Mercy College for in-state tuition ($42,128.00 vs. $36,052.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.9% higher at Iona College than Gwynedd Mercy College ($42,128.00 vs. $36,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Gwynedd Mercy College than Iona College ($28,122 vs. $28,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gwynedd Mercy College are 35.9% lower than costs at Iona College ($13,056 vs. $17,740)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Iona College as Gwynedd Mercy College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iona College students is 15.3% larger than aid received Gwynedd Mercy College ($28,273 vs. $24,512)

Iona College vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iona College (1005) is 81 points higher than at Gwynedd Mercy College (924)
  • Incoming Iona College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Iona College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (3.34)
  • Iona College has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Gwynedd Mercy College (58.4%)

Iona College vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iona College or Gwynedd 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 Gwynedd Mercy College and Iona College.

  • The graduation rate at Iona College is higher than Gwynedd Mercy College (57% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Iona College earn on average $1,800 more per year than Gwynedd Mercy College graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $56,600)
  • Gwynedd Mercy College students graduate with a $1,047 lower median federal student loan debt than Iona College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,047)
  • Gwynedd Mercy College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Iona College graduates. ($258 vs. $269)
  • More Iona College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gwynedd Mercy College students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

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