Mercyhurst College vs. Bluefield State College

Should I go to Mercyhurst College or Bluefield State College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Mercyhurst College or Bluefield State 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Concord University Gannon University Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania WVU Fairmont State W&J Marshall University JCSU Seton Hill University PennWest Edinboro RU Neumann
Mercyhurst College vs. Bluefield State College comparison
Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College
Location Erie, PA Bluefield, WV
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,668 1,270
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #986
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercyhurst.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $41,580 $9,240
Tuition (Out of State) $41,580 $16,560
Room & Board $14,274 $11,327
Avg Net Price $26,962 $14,500
Avg Grant Aid $31,437 $9,634
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

 Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,500 720
Admitted 2,913 628
Acceptance Rate 83.2% 87.2%
Enrolled % 19.6% 34.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 870/1080
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 68% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,700 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,698 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $276 $196

Diversity

 Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College
% Men 5% 0%
% Women 9% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 73% 85%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 2% 1%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College
% In-State 51% 54%
% Out-of-State 45% 46%

Campus

 Mercyhurst College Bluefield State College
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mercyhurst College is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (2,668 students vs. 1,270 students)

Mercyhurst College vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercyhurst College or Bluefield State College?

  • Mercyhurst College is 350% more expensive to attend than Bluefield State College for in-state tuition ($41,580.00 vs. $9,240.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 151.1% higher at Mercyhurst College than Bluefield State College ($41,580.00 vs. $16,560.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bluefield State College than Mercyhurst College ($14,500 vs. $26,962)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 26% lower than costs at Mercyhurst College ($11,327 vs. $14,274)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercyhurst College than Bluefield State College (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercyhurst College students is 226.3% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($31,437 vs. $9,634)

Mercyhurst College vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Bluefield State College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Mercyhurst College (3.36)
  • Bluefield State College has a higher acceptance rate (87.2%) than Mercyhurst College (83.2%)

Mercyhurst College vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mercyhurst College or Bluefield State 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 Bluefield State College and Mercyhurst College.

  • The graduation rate at Mercyhurst College is higher than Bluefield State College (68% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Mercyhurst College earn on average $11,900 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $7,698 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($19,000 vs. $26,698)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($196 vs. $276)
  • More Mercyhurst College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 30%)

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