Mount Mercy College vs. McDaniel College

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

 Mount Mercy College McDaniel College
Location Cedar Rapids, IA Westminster, MD
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,526 3,000
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtmercy.edu mcdaniel.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Mount Mercy College McDaniel College
Tuition (In State) $36,606 $46,800
Tuition (Out of State) $36,606 $46,800
Room & Board $10,636 $12,302
Avg Net Price $24,078 $23,733
Avg Grant Aid $27,288 $38,848
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Mount Mercy College McDaniel College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 4,311
Admitted 1,181 3,537
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 82%
Enrolled % 19% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.64
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) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Mount Mercy College McDaniel College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 Mount Mercy College McDaniel College
Graduation Rate 60% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,900 $53,400
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $279

Diversity

 Mount Mercy College McDaniel College
% Men 36% 34%
% Women 64% 66%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 81% 70%
% Black 7% 14%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 Mount Mercy College McDaniel College
% In-State 60% 71%
% Out-of-State 28% 27%

Campus

 Mount Mercy College McDaniel 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

  • McDaniel College is larger than than Mount Mercy College based on total student enrollment (3,000 students vs. 1,526 students)

Mount Mercy College vs. McDaniel College Cost Comparison

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

  • McDaniel College is 27.8% more expensive to attend than Mount Mercy College for in-state tuition ($46,800.00 vs. $36,606.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.8% higher at McDaniel College than Mount Mercy University ($46,800.00 vs. $36,606.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McDaniel College than Mount Mercy College ($23,733 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Mercy University are 15.7% lower than costs at McDaniel College ($10,636 vs. $12,302)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University as McDaniel College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McDaniel College students is 42.4% larger than aid received Mount Mercy University ($38,848 vs. $27,288)

Mount Mercy College vs. McDaniel College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McDaniel College (1074) is 84 points higher than at Mount Mercy College (990)
  • Incoming McDaniel College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Mount Mercy College (21)
  • Accepted freshman McDaniel College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Mount Mercy College (3.5)
  • McDaniel College has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than Mount Mercy College (75.3%)

Mount Mercy College vs. McDaniel College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at McDaniel College is higher than Mount Mercy University (74% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from McDaniel College earn on average $7,500 more per year than Mount Mercy College graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $45,900)
  • Mount Mercy University students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than McDaniel College graduates. ($22,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Mount Mercy College graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than McDaniel College graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More McDaniel College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mount Mercy College students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 71%)

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