Mercyhurst College vs. RU

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

Mercyhurst College RU
Location Erie, PA Radford, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,801 7,718
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #566
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercyhurst.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mercyhurst College RU
Tuition (In State) $40,530 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $40,530 $20,246
Room & Board $14,025 $10,567
Avg Net Price $24,935 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $32,418 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 96%

Admission

Mercyhurst College RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,625 11,442
Admitted 2,920 10,680
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 93.3%
Enrolled % 18.7% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/23
SAT Range 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Mercyhurst College RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Mercyhurst College RU
Graduation Rate 68% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,700 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,698 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $276 $237

Diversity

Mercyhurst College RU
% Men 40% 33%
% Women 60% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 71%
% Black 6% 13%
% Hispanic 2% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 5%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Mercyhurst College RU
% In-State 51% 89%
% Out-of-State 45% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than Mercyhurst College based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 2,801 students)

Mercyhurst College vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercyhurst College or RU?

  • Mercyhurst College is 396.9% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($40,530.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 100.2% higher at Mercyhurst College than Radford University ($40,530.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than Mercyhurst College ($17,105 vs. $24,935)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 32.7% lower than costs at Mercyhurst College ($10,567 vs. $14,025)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Mercyhurst College (96% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercyhurst College students is 233.1% larger than aid received Radford University ($32,418 vs. $9,733)

Mercyhurst College vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Mercyhurst College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at RU (3.31)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than Mercyhurst College (80.6%)

Mercyhurst College vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mercyhurst College or RU? 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 RU and Mercyhurst College.

  • The graduation rate at Mercyhurst College is higher than Radford University (68% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $3,700 more per year than Mercyhurst College graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $43,700)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $3,698 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($23,000 vs. $26,698)
  • RU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($237 vs. $276)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercyhurst College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 56%)

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