Mount Mercy College vs. Mars Hill University

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

Mount Mercy College Mars Hill University
Location Cedar Rapids, IA Mars Hill, NC
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,526 1,032
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtmercy.edu mhc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mount Mercy College Mars Hill University
Tuition (In State) $36,606 $36,557
Tuition (Out of State) $36,606 $36,557
Room & Board $10,636 $10,004
Avg Net Price $24,078 $17,721
Avg Grant Aid $27,288 $28,916
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Mount Mercy College Mars Hill University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,597
Admitted 1,181 1,185
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 74.2%
Enrolled % 19% 21.5%
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 Mars Hill University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

Mount Mercy College Mars Hill University
Graduation Rate 60% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,900 $32,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $279

Diversity

Mount Mercy College Mars Hill University
% Men 36% 51%
% Women 64% 49%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 81% 68%
% Black 7% 22%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Mount Mercy College Mars Hill University
% In-State 60% 54%
% Out-of-State 28% 36%

Campus

Mount Mercy College Mars Hill University
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

  • Mount Mercy University is larger than than Mars Hill University based on total student enrollment (1,526 students vs. 1,032 students)

Mount Mercy College vs. Mars Hill University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mount Mercy College or Mars Hill University?

  • Mount Mercy University is 0.1% more expensive to attend than Mars Hill University for in-state tuition ($36,606.00 vs. $36,557.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at Mount Mercy College than Mars Hill University ($36,606.00 vs. $36,557.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mars Hill University than Mount Mercy College ($17,721 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mars Hill University are 6.3% lower than costs at Mount Mercy University ($10,004 vs. $10,636)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University than Mars Hill University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mars Hill University students is 6% larger than aid received Mount Mercy University ($28,916 vs. $27,288)

Mount Mercy College vs. Mars Hill University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mount Mercy University (990) is 78 points higher than at Mars Hill University (912)
  • Incoming Mount Mercy College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Mars Hill University (20)
  • Accepted freshman Mount Mercy College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.5) as students at Mars Hill University (3.5)
  • Mount Mercy College has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Mars Hill University (74.2%)

Mount Mercy College vs. Mars Hill University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mount Mercy College or Mars Hill University? 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 Mars Hill University and Mount Mercy College.

  • The graduation rate at Mount Mercy College is higher than Mars Hill University (60% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Mount Mercy University earn on average $13,600 more per year than Mars Hill University graduates after ten years. ($45,900 vs. $32,300)
  • Mount Mercy University students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Mars Hill University graduates. ($22,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Mount Mercy College graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Mars Hill University graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More Mount Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mars Hill University students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 53%)

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