Mount Mercy College vs. Columbia College

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

Mount Mercy College Columbia College
Location Cedar Rapids, IA Columbia, MO
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,526 6,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtmercy.edu ccis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mount Mercy College Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $36,606 $24,326
Tuition (Out of State) $36,606 $24,326
Room & Board $10,636 $8,670
Avg Net Price $24,078 $22,824
Avg Grant Aid $27,288 $13,725
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 90%

Admission

Mount Mercy College Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 -
Admitted 1,181 -
Acceptance Rate 75.3% Open
Enrolled % 19% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Mount Mercy College Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Business (42%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Human Services (4%)

Outcomes

Mount Mercy College Columbia College
Graduation Rate 60% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,900 $41,800
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,250 $22,034
Median Loan Payment $230 $227

Diversity

Mount Mercy College Columbia College
% Men 36% 40%
% Women 64% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 55%
% Black 7% 25%
% Hispanic 2% 8%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Mount Mercy College Columbia College
% In-State 60% 56%
% Out-of-State 28% 42%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College is larger than than Mount Mercy College based on total student enrollment (6,046 students vs. 1,526 students)

Mount Mercy College vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

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

  • Mount Mercy University is 50.5% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($36,606.00 vs. $24,326.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.5% higher at Mount Mercy College than Columbia College ($36,606.00 vs. $24,326.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College than Mount Mercy College ($22,824 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 22.7% lower than costs at Mount Mercy University ($8,670 vs. $10,636)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University than Columbia College (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Mercy University students is 98.8% larger than aid received Columbia College ($27,288 vs. $13,725)

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Mount Mercy College (3.5)

Mount Mercy College vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Mount Mercy College is higher than Columbia College (60% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Mount Mercy University earn on average $4,100 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($45,900 vs. $41,800)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $216 lower median federal student loan debt than Mount Mercy College graduates. ($22,034 vs. $22,250)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Mount Mercy College graduates. ($227 vs. $230)
  • More Mount Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 40%)

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