Salem State University vs. Mercy

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

Salem State University Mercy
Location Salem, MA Dobbs Ferry, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,539 8,615
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #733 #843
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu mercy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salem State University Mercy
Tuition (In State) $910 $20,518
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $20,518
Room & Board $14,954 $14,200
Avg Net Price $19,277 $15,879
Avg Grant Aid $8,562 $14,789
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

Salem State University Mercy
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 7,891
Admitted 4,719 6,775
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 85.9%
Enrolled % 18.3% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/25
SAT Range 986/1210 1020/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Salem State University Mercy
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)

Outcomes

Salem State University Mercy
Graduation Rate 42% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $23,699
Median Loan Payment $248 $245

Diversity

Salem State University Mercy
% Men 31% 28%
% Women 69% 72%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 27%
% Black 9% 23%
% Hispanic 12% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

Salem State University Mercy
% In-State 90% 88%
% Out-of-State 8% 9%

Campus

Salem State University Mercy
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mercy College is larger than than Salem State University based on total student enrollment (8,615 students vs. 6,539 students)

Salem State University vs. Mercy Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salem State University or Mercy?

  • Mercy College is 2,154.7% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($20,518.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 191% higher at Mercy than Salem State University ($20,518.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercy College than Salem State University ($15,879 vs. $19,277)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercy College are 5.3% lower than costs at Salem State University ($14,200 vs. $14,954)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than Mercy College (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercy College students is 72.7% larger than aid received Salem State University ($14,789 vs. $8,562)

Salem State University vs. Mercy Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Mercy students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Mercy (85.9%)

Salem State University vs. Mercy Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salem State University or Mercy? 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 Mercy and Salem State University.

  • The graduation rate at Salem State University is higher than Mercy College (42% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Salem State University earn on average $2,200 more per year than Mercy graduates after ten years. ($44,400 vs. $42,200)
  • Mercy College students graduate with a $301 lower median federal student loan debt than Salem State University graduates. ($23,699 vs. $24,000)
  • Mercy graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Salem State University graduates. ($245 vs. $248)
  • More Salem State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercy students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 40%)

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