Columbia College vs. Mercyhurst College

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

 Columbia College Mercyhurst College
Location Columbia, MO Erie, PA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 6,046 2,801
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ccis.edu mercyhurst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College Mercyhurst College
Tuition (In State) $24,326 $40,530
Tuition (Out of State) $24,326 $40,530
Room & Board $8,670 $14,025
Avg Net Price $22,824 $24,935
Avg Grant Aid $13,725 $32,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 95%

Admission

 Columbia College Mercyhurst College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 3,625
Admitted - 2,920
Acceptance Rate Open 80.6%
Enrolled % Open 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Columbia College Mercyhurst College
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (42%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Human Services (4%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College Mercyhurst College
Graduation Rate 39% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,800 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,034 $26,698
Median Loan Payment $227 $276

Diversity

 Columbia College Mercyhurst College
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 73%
% Black 25% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 2%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

 Columbia College Mercyhurst College
% In-State 56% 51%
% Out-of-State 42% 45%

Campus

 Columbia College Mercyhurst 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

  • Columbia College is larger than than Mercyhurst College based on total student enrollment (6,046 students vs. 2,801 students)

Columbia College vs. Mercyhurst College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Mercyhurst College?

  • Mercyhurst College is 66.6% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($40,530.00 vs. $24,326.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.6% higher at Mercyhurst College than Columbia College ($40,530.00 vs. $24,326.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College than Mercyhurst College ($22,824 vs. $24,935)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 61.8% lower than costs at Mercyhurst College ($8,670 vs. $14,025)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercyhurst College than Columbia College (95% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercyhurst College students is 136.2% larger than aid received Columbia College ($32,418 vs. $13,725)

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Mercyhurst College (3.36)

Columbia College vs. Mercyhurst College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Mercyhurst 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 Mercyhurst College and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Mercyhurst College is higher than Columbia College (68% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Mercyhurst College earn on average $1,900 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $41,800)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $4,664 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($22,034 vs. $26,698)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($227 vs. $276)
  • More Mercyhurst College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 40%)

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