SAU vs. Gwynedd Mercy College

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

 SAU Gwynedd Mercy College
Location Spring Arbor, MI Gwynedd Valley, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,390 2,165
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #553 #510
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arbor.edu gmc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SAU Gwynedd Mercy College
Tuition (In State) $31,940 $37,140
Tuition (Out of State) $31,940 $37,140
Room & Board $10,960 $14,142
Avg Net Price $21,720 $26,733
Avg Grant Aid $21,522 $25,995
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 SAU Gwynedd Mercy College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,145 1,111
Admitted 1,174 1,040
Acceptance Rate 37.3% 93.6%
Enrolled % 17.5% 17.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.34
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 17/25
SAT Range 935/1165 1048/1180
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 Aug 20, 2025

Academics

 SAU Gwynedd Mercy College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (2%)
  • Psychology (2%)

Outcomes

 SAU Gwynedd Mercy College
Graduation Rate 56% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $56,600
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,043 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $258

Diversity

 SAU Gwynedd Mercy College
% Men 7% 7%
% Women 48% 25%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 57%
% Black 10% 23%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 10%

Students

 SAU Gwynedd Mercy College
% In-State 82% 80%
% Out-of-State 15% 20%

Campus

 SAU Gwynedd Mercy College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Spring Arbor University is larger than than Gwynedd Mercy College based on total student enrollment (2,390 students vs. 2,165 students)

SAU vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAU or Gwynedd Mercy College?

  • Gwynedd Mercy College is 16.3% more expensive to attend than SAU for in-state tuition ($37,140.00 vs. $31,940.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.3% higher at Gwynedd Mercy College than Spring Arbor University ($37,140.00 vs. $31,940.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Spring Arbor University than Gwynedd Mercy College ($21,720 vs. $26,733)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spring Arbor University are 29% lower than costs at Gwynedd Mercy College ($10,960 vs. $14,142)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University as Gwynedd Mercy College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gwynedd Mercy College students is 20.8% larger than aid received Spring Arbor University ($25,995 vs. $21,522)

SAU vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 149 points higher than at Gwynedd Mercy College (924)
  • Incoming SAU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (20)
  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Gwynedd Mercy College (3.34)
  • Gwynedd Mercy College has a higher acceptance rate (93.6%) than SAU (37.3%)

SAU vs. Gwynedd Mercy College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SAU or Gwynedd 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 Gwynedd Mercy College and SAU.

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than Gwynedd Mercy College (56% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Gwynedd Mercy College earn on average $14,000 more per year than SAU graduates after ten years. ($56,600 vs. $42,600)
  • Spring Arbor University students graduate with a $957 lower median federal student loan debt than Gwynedd Mercy College graduates. ($24,043 vs. $25,000)
  • SAU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Gwynedd Mercy College graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More Gwynedd Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 58%)

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