Paine College vs. Mercyhurst College

Should I go to Paine College or Mercyhurst College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Paine College or Mercyhurst 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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Paine College vs. Mercyhurst College comparison
Paine College Mercyhurst College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Paine College Mercyhurst College
Location Augusta, GA Erie, PA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 310 2,801
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website paine.edu mercyhurst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Paine College Mercyhurst College
Tuition (In State) $12,706 $40,530
Tuition (Out of State) $12,706 $40,530
Room & Board $7,512 $14,025
Avg Net Price $15,877 $24,935
Avg Grant Aid $11,755 $32,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 95%

Admission

 Paine College Mercyhurst College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,302 3,625
Admitted 1,701 2,920
Acceptance Rate 51.5% 80.6%
Enrolled % 5.3% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.81 3.36
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19
SAT Range 776/976
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Paine College Mercyhurst College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Paine College Mercyhurst College
Graduation Rate 27% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $28,400 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 15% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,750 $26,698
Median Loan Payment $369 $276

Diversity

 Paine College Mercyhurst College
% Men 43% 40%
% Women 57% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 73%
% Black 89% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 Paine College Mercyhurst College
% In-State 71% 51%
% Out-of-State 28% 45%

Campus

 Paine College Mercyhurst College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mercyhurst College is larger than than Paine College based on total student enrollment (2,801 students vs. 310 students)

Paine College vs. Mercyhurst College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Paine College or Mercyhurst College?

  • Mercyhurst College is 219% more expensive to attend than Paine College for in-state tuition ($40,530.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 219% higher at Mercyhurst College than Paine College ($40,530.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Paine College than Mercyhurst College ($15,877 vs. $24,935)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paine College are 86.7% lower than costs at Mercyhurst College ($7,512 vs. $14,025)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Paine College than Mercyhurst College (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercyhurst College students is 175.8% larger than aid received Paine College ($32,418 vs. $11,755)

Paine College vs. Mercyhurst College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Mercyhurst College students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at Paine College (2.81)
  • Mercyhurst College has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Paine College (51.5%)

Paine College vs. Mercyhurst College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Paine College or Mercyhurst 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 Mercyhurst College and Paine College.

  • The graduation rate at Mercyhurst College is higher than Paine College (68% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Mercyhurst College earn on average $15,300 more per year than Paine College graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $28,400)
  • Mercyhurst College students graduate with a $9,052 lower median federal student loan debt than Paine College graduates. ($26,698 vs. $35,750)
  • Mercyhurst College graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than Paine College graduates. ($276 vs. $369)
  • More Mercyhurst College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paine College students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 15%)

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