Paine College vs. Mount Mercy College

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

Paine College Mount Mercy College
Location Augusta, GA Cedar Rapids, IA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 310 1,526
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website paine.edu mtmercy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Paine College Mount Mercy College
Tuition (In State) $12,706 $36,606
Tuition (Out of State) $12,706 $36,606
Room & Board $7,512 $10,636
Avg Net Price $15,877 $24,078
Avg Grant Aid $11,755 $27,288
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Paine College Mount Mercy College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,302 1,569
Admitted 1,701 1,181
Acceptance Rate 51.5% 75.3%
Enrolled % 5.3% 19%
Avg High School GPA 2.81 3.5
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 required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Paine College Mount Mercy College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)

Outcomes

Paine College Mount Mercy College
Graduation Rate 27% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $28,400 $45,900
Making Student Loan Payments 15% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,750 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $369 $230

Diversity

Paine College Mount Mercy College
% Men 43% 36%
% Women 57% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 81%
% Black 89% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

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

Campus

Paine College Mount Mercy 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

  • Mount Mercy University is larger than than Paine College based on total student enrollment (1,526 students vs. 310 students)

Paine College vs. Mount Mercy College Cost Comparison

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

  • Mount Mercy University is 188.1% more expensive to attend than Paine College for in-state tuition ($36,606.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 188.1% higher at Mount Mercy College than Paine College ($36,606.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Paine College than Mount Mercy College ($15,877 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paine College are 41.6% lower than costs at Mount Mercy University ($7,512 vs. $10,636)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Paine College as Mount Mercy University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Mercy University students is 132.1% larger than aid received Paine College ($27,288 vs. $11,755)

Paine College vs. Mount Mercy College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mount Mercy University (990) is 241 points higher than at Paine College (749)
  • Incoming Mount Mercy College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Paine College (16)
  • Accepted freshman Mount Mercy College students have a 0.69 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Paine College (2.81)
  • Mount Mercy College has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Paine College (51.5%)

Paine College vs. Mount Mercy College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Mount Mercy College is higher than Paine College (60% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Mount Mercy University earn on average $17,500 more per year than Paine College graduates after ten years. ($45,900 vs. $28,400)
  • Mount Mercy University students graduate with a $13,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Paine College graduates. ($22,250 vs. $35,750)
  • Mount Mercy College graduates are paying $139 less per month on federal student loans than Paine College graduates. ($230 vs. $369)
  • More Mount Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paine College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 15%)

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