Mount Mercy College vs. McNally Smith College of Music

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

Mount Mercy College McNally Smith College of Music
Location Cedar Rapids, IA Saint Paul, MN
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 1,526 376
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit For-profit
Website mtmercy.edu mcnallysmith.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mount Mercy College McNally Smith College of Music
Tuition (In State) $36,606 $27,040
Tuition (Out of State) $36,606 $27,040
Room & Board $10,636 $7,100
Avg Net Price $24,078 $30,167
Avg Grant Aid $27,288 $7,067
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 45%

Admission

Mount Mercy College McNally Smith College of Music
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 272
Admitted 1,181 178
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 65.4%
Enrolled % 19% 53.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 -
Typical High School Grades 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) Recommended
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Mount Mercy College McNally Smith College of Music
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 0:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

Mount Mercy College McNally Smith College of Music
Graduation Rate 60% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,900 $34,900
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,250 $26,550
Median Loan Payment $230 $274

Diversity

Mount Mercy College McNally Smith College of Music
% Men 36% 0%
% Women 64% 0%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 71%
% Black 7% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 9%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Mount Mercy College McNally Smith College of Music
% In-State 60% -
% Out-of-State 28% -

Campus

Mount Mercy College McNally Smith College of Music
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 McNally Smith College of Music based on total student enrollment (1,526 students vs. 376 students)

Mount Mercy College vs. McNally Smith College of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mount Mercy College or McNally Smith College of Music?

  • Mount Mercy University is 35.4% more expensive to attend than McNally Smith College of Music for in-state tuition ($36,606.00 vs. $27,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.4% higher at Mount Mercy College than McNally Smith College of Music ($36,606.00 vs. $27,040.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mount Mercy University than McNally Smith College of Music ($24,078 vs. $30,167)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McNally Smith College of Music are 49.8% lower than costs at Mount Mercy University ($7,100 vs. $10,636)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University than McNally Smith College of Music (100% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Mercy University students is 286.1% larger than aid received McNally Smith College of Music ($27,288 vs. $7,067)

Mount Mercy College vs. McNally Smith College of Music Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Mount Mercy College has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than McNally Smith College of Music (65.4%)

Mount Mercy College vs. McNally Smith College of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mount Mercy College or McNally Smith College of Music? 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 McNally Smith College of Music and Mount Mercy College.

  • The graduation rate at Mount Mercy College is higher than McNally Smith College of Music (60% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Mount Mercy University earn on average $11,000 more per year than McNally Smith College of Music graduates after ten years. ($45,900 vs. $34,900)
  • Mount Mercy University students graduate with a $4,300 lower median federal student loan debt than McNally Smith College of Music graduates. ($22,250 vs. $26,550)
  • Mount Mercy College graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than McNally Smith College of Music graduates. ($230 vs. $274)
  • More Mount Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McNally Smith College of Music students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 56%)

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