Mercy College of Health Sciences vs. Southwest Minnesota State University

Should I go to Mercy College of Health Sciences or Southwest Minnesota State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Mercy College of Health Sciences or Southwest Minnesota State University 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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Mercy College of Health Sciences vs. Southwest Minnesota State University comparison
Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University College 3 College 4
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Overview

Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University
Location Des Moines, IA Marshall, MN
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 911 6,930
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #948
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mchs.edu smsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University
Tuition (In State) $16,632 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $16,632 $8,840
Room & Board $7,410 $9,258
Avg Net Price $22,433 $15,004
Avg Grant Aid $9,472 $7,389
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 94%

Admission

Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 152 1,558
Admitted 147 1,427
Acceptance Rate 96.7% 91.6%
Enrolled % 46.9% 22.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.21
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 17/23
SAT Range 935/1102
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 18, 2025

Academics

Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (100%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University
Graduation Rate - 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $21,678
Median Loan Payment $206 $224

Diversity

Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University
% Men 14% 38%
% Women 86% 62%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 80%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University
% In-State 90% 74%
% Out-of-State 10% 20%

Campus

Mercy College of Health Sciences Southwest Minnesota State University
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is larger than than Mercy College of Health Sciences based on total student enrollment (6,930 students vs. 911 students)

Mercy College of Health Sciences vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercy College of Health Sciences or Southwest Minnesota State University?

  • Mercy College of Health Sciences is 88.1% more expensive to attend than Southwest Minnesota State University for in-state tuition ($16,632.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.1% higher at Mercy College of Health Sciences than Southwest Minnesota State University ($16,632.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwest Minnesota State University than Mercy College of Health Sciences ($15,004 vs. $22,433)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercy College of Health Sciences are 24.9% lower than costs at Southwest Minnesota State University ($7,410 vs. $9,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwest Minnesota State University than Mercy College of Health Sciences (94% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercy College of Health Sciences students is 28.2% larger than aid received Southwest Minnesota State University ($9,472 vs. $7,389)

Mercy College of Health Sciences vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mercy College of Health Sciences or Southwest Minnesota State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Southwest Minnesota State University or Mercy College of Health Sciences .

  • Accepted freshman Southwest Minnesota State University students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.21) than students at Mercy College of Health Sciences (3.12)
  • Mercy College of Health Sciences has a higher acceptance rate (96.7%) than Southwest Minnesota State University (91.6%)

Mercy College of Health Sciences vs. Southwest Minnesota State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mercy College of Health Sciences or Southwest Minnesota State University? 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 Southwest Minnesota State University and Mercy College of Health Sciences.

  • Graduates from Mercy College of Health Sciences earn on average $6,200 more per year than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $41,200)
  • Mercy College of Health Sciences students graduate with a $1,678 lower median federal student loan debt than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates. ($20,000 vs. $21,678)
  • Mercy College of Health Sciences graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates. ($206 vs. $224)
  • More Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercy College of Health Sciences students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 66%)

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