ISU vs. Mount Mercy College

Should I go to Iowa State University or Mount Mercy University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or Mount 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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Iowa State University vs. Mount Mercy University comparison
Iowa State University Mount Mercy University College 3 College 4
Iowa State University Mount Mercy University
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Overview

 ISU Mount Mercy College
Location Ames, IA Cedar Rapids, IA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 29,969 1,526
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #352
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu mtmercy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU Mount Mercy College
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $36,606
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $36,606
Room & Board $9,358 $10,636
Avg Net Price $15,310 $24,078
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $27,288
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 100%

Admission

 ISU Mount Mercy College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 1,569
Admitted 19,776 1,181
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 75.3%
Enrolled % 29% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1350
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 15, 2025

Academics

 ISU Mount Mercy College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)

Outcomes

 ISU Mount Mercy College
Graduation Rate 68% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $45,900
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $246 $230

Diversity

 ISU Mount Mercy College
% Men 55% 36%
% Women 45% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 81%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

 ISU Mount Mercy College
% In-State 52% 60%
% Out-of-State 45% 28%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Mount Mercy College based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 1,526 students)

ISU vs. Mount Mercy College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Mount Mercy College?

  • Mount Mercy University is 321.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($36,606.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.5% higher at Mount Mercy College than Iowa State University ($36,606.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Mount Mercy College ($15,310 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 13.7% lower than costs at Mount Mercy University ($9,358 vs. $10,636)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University than Iowa State University (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Mercy University students is 147.1% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($27,288 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. Mount Mercy College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 152 points higher than at Mount Mercy College (990)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Mount Mercy College (21)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Mount Mercy College (3.5)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Mount Mercy College (75.3%)

ISU vs. Mount Mercy College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Mount 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 Mount Mercy College and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Mount Mercy University (68% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $7,800 more per year than Mount Mercy College graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $45,900)
  • Mount Mercy University students graduate with a $1,618 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,250 vs. $23,868)
  • Mount Mercy College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($230 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mount Mercy College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 71%)

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