Mercy vs. SU

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

 Mercy SU
Location Dobbs Ferry, NY Winchester, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 8,615 4,260
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #843 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercy.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Mercy SU
Tuition (In State) $20,518 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $20,518 $33,790
Room & Board $14,200 $11,230
Avg Net Price $15,879 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $14,789 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 Mercy SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,891 2,296
Admitted 6,775 1,845
Acceptance Rate 85.9% 80.4%
Enrolled % 13.7% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.7
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/25 19/26
SAT Range 1020/1230 1010/1230
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, 2025

Academics

 Mercy SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 Mercy SU
Graduation Rate 31% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,699 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $258

Diversity

 Mercy SU
% Men 28% 32%
% Women 72% 68%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 59%
% Black 23% 11%
% Hispanic 35% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 13%

Students

 Mercy SU
% In-State 88% 52%
% Out-of-State 9% 48%

Campus

 Mercy SU
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

  • Mercy College is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (8,615 students vs. 4,260 students)

Mercy vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercy or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 64.7% more expensive to attend than Mercy for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $20,518.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.7% higher at SU than Mercy College ($33,790.00 vs. $20,518.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercy College than SU ($15,879 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 26.4% lower than costs at Mercy College ($11,230 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Mercy College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 58.7% larger than aid received Mercy College ($23,467 vs. $14,789)

Mercy vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Mercy (3.19)
  • Mercy has a higher acceptance rate (85.9%) than SU (80.4%)

Mercy vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mercy or SU? 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 SU and Mercy.

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than Mercy College (45% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Shenandoah University earn on average $6,100 more per year than Mercy graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $42,200)
  • Mercy College students graduate with a $1,301 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($23,699 vs. $25,000)
  • Mercy graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($245 vs. $258)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercy students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 40%)

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