CAU vs. Mercy

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

 CAU Mercy
Location Atlanta, GA Dobbs Ferry, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,000 8,615
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #971 #843
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu mercy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CAU Mercy
Tuition (In State) $21,948 $20,518
Tuition (Out of State) $21,948 $20,518
Room & Board $10,982 $14,200
Avg Net Price $30,015 $15,879
Avg Grant Aid $9,431 $14,789
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 97%

Admission

 CAU Mercy
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,153 7,891
Admitted 9,088 6,775
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 85.9%
Enrolled % 12.7% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 21/25
SAT Range 880/1120 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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 CAU Mercy
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)

Outcomes

 CAU Mercy
Graduation Rate 41% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $23,699
Median Loan Payment $320 $245

Diversity

 CAU Mercy
% Men 24% 28%
% Women 76% 72%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 27%
% Black 84% 23%
% Hispanic 0% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 13% 7%

Students

 CAU Mercy
% In-State 27% 88%
% Out-of-State 72% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mercy College is larger than than CAU based on total student enrollment (8,615 students vs. 4,000 students)

CAU vs. Mercy Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Mercy?

  • Clark Atlanta University is 7% more expensive to attend than Mercy for in-state tuition ($21,948.00 vs. $20,518.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7% higher at CAU than Mercy College ($21,948.00 vs. $20,518.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercy College than CAU ($15,879 vs. $30,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clark Atlanta University are 29.3% lower than costs at Mercy College ($10,982 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercy College than Clark Atlanta University (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercy College students is 56.8% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($14,789 vs. $9,431)

CAU vs. Mercy Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman CAU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at Mercy (3.19)
  • Mercy has a higher acceptance rate (85.9%) than CAU (56.3%)

CAU vs. Mercy Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU 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 CAU.

  • The graduation rate at CAU is higher than Mercy College (41% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Mercy College earn on average $3,800 more per year than CAU graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $38,400)
  • Mercy College students graduate with a $7,301 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($23,699 vs. $31,000)
  • Mercy graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($245 vs. $320)
  • More Mercy graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (40% vs. 30%)

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