Mount Mercy College vs. College of Saint Mary

Should I go to Mount Mercy University or College of Saint Mary? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Mount Mercy College or College of Saint Mary 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. College of Saint Mary comparison
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Mount Mercy University
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Overview

Mount Mercy College College of Saint Mary
Location Cedar Rapids, IA Omaha, NE
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 1,451 733
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtmercy.edu csm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mount Mercy College College of Saint Mary
Tuition (In State) $38,070 $23,340
Tuition (Out of State) $38,070 $23,340
Room & Board $11,030 $8,650
Avg Net Price $23,972 $14,265
Avg Grant Aid $28,628 $19,829
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Mount Mercy College College of Saint Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,436 430
Admitted 1,131 189
Acceptance Rate 78.8% 44%
Enrolled % 18.4% 47.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.4
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 required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026

Academics

Mount Mercy College College of Saint Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Health Professions (76%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Education (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Psychology (2%)

Outcomes

Mount Mercy College College of Saint Mary
Graduation Rate 60% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,900 $41,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,250 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $268

Diversity

Mount Mercy College College of Saint Mary
% Men 6% 6%
% Women 13% 28%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 74%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 13%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Mount Mercy College College of Saint Mary
% In-State 60% 64%
% Out-of-State 28% 34%

Campus

Mount Mercy College College of Saint Mary
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mount Mercy University is larger than than College of Saint Mary based on total student enrollment (1,451 students vs. 733 students)

Mount Mercy College vs. College of Saint Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mount Mercy College or College of Saint Mary?

  • Mount Mercy University is 63.1% more expensive to attend than College of Saint Mary for in-state tuition ($38,070.00 vs. $23,340.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.1% higher at Mount Mercy College than College of Saint Mary ($38,070.00 vs. $23,340.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Saint Mary than Mount Mercy College ($14,265 vs. $23,972)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Saint Mary are 27.5% lower than costs at Mount Mercy University ($8,650 vs. $11,030)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University as College of Saint Mary (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Mercy University students is 44.4% larger than aid received College of Saint Mary ($28,628 vs. $19,829)

Mount Mercy College vs. College of Saint Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Mount Mercy College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at College of Saint Mary (3.4)
  • Mount Mercy College has a higher acceptance rate (78.8%) than College of Saint Mary (44%)

Mount Mercy College vs. College of Saint Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mount Mercy College or College of Saint Mary? 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 College of Saint Mary and Mount Mercy College.

  • The graduation rate at Mount Mercy College is higher than College of Saint Mary (60% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Mount Mercy University earn on average $4,600 more per year than College of Saint Mary graduates after ten years. ($45,900 vs. $41,300)
  • Mount Mercy University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than College of Saint Mary graduates. ($22,250 vs. $26,000)
  • Mount Mercy College graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than College of Saint Mary graduates. ($230 vs. $268)
  • More Mount Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of Saint Mary students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 59%)

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