LEC vs. Mercyhurst College

Should I go to Lake Erie College or Mercyhurst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if LEC or Mercyhurst 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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Lake Erie College vs. Mercyhurst College comparison
Lake Erie College Mercyhurst College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 LEC Mercyhurst College
Location Painesville, OH Erie, PA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 942 2,668
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lec.edu mercyhurst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 LEC Mercyhurst College
Tuition (In State) $34,596 $41,580
Tuition (Out of State) $34,596 $41,580
Room & Board $11,592 $14,274
Avg Net Price $22,322 $26,962
Avg Grant Aid $26,289 $31,437
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 LEC Mercyhurst College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,193 3,500
Admitted 765 2,913
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 83.2%
Enrolled % 24.4% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.36
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 945/1115
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 LEC Mercyhurst College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Agriculture (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 LEC Mercyhurst College
Graduation Rate 53% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,600 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,698
Median Loan Payment $279 $276

Diversity

 LEC Mercyhurst College
% Men 8% 5%
% Women 13% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 73%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 LEC Mercyhurst College
% In-State 54% 51%
% Out-of-State 40% 45%

Campus

 LEC Mercyhurst 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

  • Mercyhurst College is larger than than LEC based on total student enrollment (2,668 students vs. 942 students)

LEC vs. Mercyhurst College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LEC or Mercyhurst College?

  • Mercyhurst College is 20.2% more expensive to attend than LEC for in-state tuition ($41,580.00 vs. $34,596.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.2% higher at Mercyhurst College than Lake Erie College ($41,580.00 vs. $34,596.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Erie College than Mercyhurst College ($22,322 vs. $26,962)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Erie College are 23.1% lower than costs at Mercyhurst College ($11,592 vs. $14,274)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Erie College than Mercyhurst College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercyhurst College students is 19.6% larger than aid received Lake Erie College ($31,437 vs. $26,289)

LEC vs. Mercyhurst College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Mercyhurst College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at LEC (3.19)
  • Mercyhurst College has a higher acceptance rate (83.2%) than LEC (64.1%)

LEC vs. Mercyhurst College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LEC or Mercyhurst 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 Mercyhurst College and LEC.

  • The graduation rate at Mercyhurst College is higher than Lake Erie College (68% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Mercyhurst College earn on average $7,100 more per year than LEC graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $36,600)
  • Mercyhurst College students graduate with a $302 lower median federal student loan debt than LEC graduates. ($26,698 vs. $27,000)
  • Mercyhurst College graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than LEC graduates. ($276 vs. $279)
  • More LEC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercyhurst College students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 56%)

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