Mount Mercy College vs. Cottey College

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

Mount Mercy College Cottey College
Location Cedar Rapids, IA Nevada, MO
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 1,526 311
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtmercy.edu cottey.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mount Mercy College Cottey College
Tuition (In State) $36,606 $23,350
Tuition (Out of State) $36,606 $23,350
Room & Board $10,636 $8,620
Avg Net Price $24,078 $17,123
Avg Grant Aid $27,288 $17,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Mount Mercy College Cottey College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 682
Admitted 1,181 498
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 73%
Enrolled % 19% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25
SAT Range 1030/1120
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, 2025

Academics

Mount Mercy College Cottey College
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%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

Mount Mercy College Cottey College
Graduation Rate 60% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,900 $33,900
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,250 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $124

Diversity

Mount Mercy College Cottey College
% Men 36% 0%
% Women 64% 100%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 81% 60%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 10%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 3% 14%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Mount Mercy College Cottey College
% In-State 60% 34%
% Out-of-State 28% 63%

Campus

Mount Mercy College Cottey 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 Cottey College based on total student enrollment (1,526 students vs. 311 students)

Mount Mercy College vs. Cottey College Cost Comparison

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

  • Mount Mercy University is 56.8% more expensive to attend than Cottey College for in-state tuition ($36,606.00 vs. $23,350.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.8% higher at Mount Mercy College than Cottey College ($36,606.00 vs. $23,350.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cottey College than Mount Mercy College ($17,123 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cottey College are 23.4% lower than costs at Mount Mercy University ($8,620 vs. $10,636)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University than Cottey College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Mercy University students is 57.7% larger than aid received Cottey College ($27,288 vs. $17,308)

Mount Mercy College vs. Cottey College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cottey College (1049) is 59 points higher than at Mount Mercy College (990)
  • Incoming Cottey College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Mount Mercy College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Mount Mercy College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Cottey College (3.39)
  • Mount Mercy College has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Cottey College (73%)

Mount Mercy College vs. Cottey College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from Mount Mercy University earn on average $12,000 more per year than Cottey College graduates after ten years. ($45,900 vs. $33,900)
  • Cottey College students graduate with a $10,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Mount Mercy College graduates. ($12,000 vs. $22,250)
  • Cottey College graduates are paying $106 less per month on federal student loans than Mount Mercy College graduates. ($124 vs. $230)
  • More Mount Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cottey College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 61%)

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