Mount Mercy College vs. Alma College

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

 Mount Mercy College Alma College
Location Cedar Rapids, IA Alma, MI
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,526 1,260
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtmercy.edu alma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Mount Mercy College Alma College
Tuition (In State) $36,606 $45,346
Tuition (Out of State) $36,606 $45,346
Room & Board $10,636 $12,624
Avg Net Price $24,078 $23,995
Avg Grant Aid $27,288 $34,736
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Mount Mercy College Alma College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 3,372
Admitted 1,181 2,180
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 64.7%
Enrolled % 19% 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
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 15, 2025

Academics

 Mount Mercy College Alma College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Mount Mercy College Alma College
Graduation Rate 60% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,900 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $279

Diversity

 Mount Mercy College Alma College
% Men 36% 47%
% Women 64% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 83%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Mount Mercy College Alma College
% In-State 60% 90%
% Out-of-State 28% 6%

Campus

 Mount Mercy College Alma College
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

  • Mount Mercy University is larger than than Alma College based on total student enrollment (1,526 students vs. 1,260 students)

Mount Mercy College vs. Alma College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mount Mercy College or Alma College?

  • Alma College is 23.9% more expensive to attend than Mount Mercy College for in-state tuition ($45,346.00 vs. $36,606.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.9% higher at Alma College than Mount Mercy University ($45,346.00 vs. $36,606.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Alma College than Mount Mercy College ($23,995 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Mercy University are 18.7% lower than costs at Alma College ($10,636 vs. $12,624)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University as Alma College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 27.3% larger than aid received Mount Mercy University ($34,736 vs. $27,288)

Mount Mercy College vs. Alma College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Alma College (1110) is 120 points higher than at Mount Mercy College (990)
  • Incoming Alma College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Mount Mercy College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Mount Mercy College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.5) as students at Alma College (3.5)
  • Mount Mercy College has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Alma College (64.7%)

Mount Mercy College vs. Alma College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mount Mercy College or Alma 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 Alma College and Mount Mercy College.

  • The graduation rate at Alma College is higher than Mount Mercy University (67% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Alma College earn on average $2,400 more per year than Mount Mercy College graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $45,900)
  • Mount Mercy University students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Alma College graduates. ($22,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Mount Mercy College graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Alma College graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More Alma College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mount Mercy College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 71%)

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