Iowa vs. Mount Mercy College

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

 Iowa Mount Mercy College
Location Iowa City, IA Cedar Rapids, IA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,015 1,526
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #224
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu mtmercy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa Mount Mercy College
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $36,606
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $36,606
Room & Board $11,476 $10,636
Avg Net Price $19,587 $24,078
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $27,288
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

 Iowa Mount Mercy College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 1,569
Admitted 22,128 1,181
Acceptance Rate 86% 75.3%
Enrolled % 23.4% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28
SAT Range 1130/1340
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 May 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Iowa Mount Mercy College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (4%)

Outcomes

 Iowa Mount Mercy College
Graduation Rate 71% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $45,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $223 $230

Diversity

 Iowa Mount Mercy College
% Men 44% 36%
% Women 56% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 81%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 12% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 Iowa Mount Mercy College
% In-State 54% 60%
% Out-of-State 45% 28%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Mount Mercy College based on total student enrollment (30,015 students vs. 1,526 students)

Iowa vs. Mount Mercy College Cost Comparison

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

  • Mount Mercy University is 320.2% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($36,606.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.3% higher at Mount Mercy College than University of Iowa ($36,606.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than Mount Mercy College ($19,587 vs. $24,078)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Mercy University are 7.9% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($10,636 vs. $11,476)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Mercy University than University of Iowa (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Mercy University students is 174% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($27,288 vs. $9,959)

Iowa vs. Mount Mercy College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Iowa 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 Iowa .

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 174 points higher than at Mount Mercy College (990)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Mount Mercy College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Mount Mercy College (3.5)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Mount Mercy College (75.3%)

Iowa vs. Mount Mercy College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa 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 Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Mount Mercy University (71% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $13,900 more per year than Mount Mercy College graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $45,900)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $634 lower median federal student loan debt than Mount Mercy College graduates. ($21,616 vs. $22,250)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Mount Mercy College graduates. ($223 vs. $230)
  • More Mount Mercy College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 70%)

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