Rivier College vs. Mercyhurst College

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

 Rivier College Mercyhurst College
Location Nashua, NH Erie, PA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,551 2,801
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rivier.edu mercyhurst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rivier College Mercyhurst College
Tuition (In State) $35,445 $40,530
Tuition (Out of State) $35,445 $40,530
Room & Board $14,362 $14,025
Avg Net Price $28,983 $24,935
Avg Grant Aid $21,554 $32,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 95%

Admission

 Rivier College Mercyhurst College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,629 3,625
Admitted 1,376 2,920
Acceptance Rate 84.5% 80.6%
Enrolled % 20% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA - 3.36
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Oct 16, 2023

Academics

 Rivier College Mercyhurst College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (55%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Rivier College Mercyhurst College
Graduation Rate 32% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,455 $26,698
Median Loan Payment $263 $276

Diversity

 Rivier College Mercyhurst College
% Men 32% 40%
% Women 68% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 73%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 4%

Students

 Rivier College Mercyhurst College
% In-State 49% 51%
% Out-of-State 51% 45%

Campus

 Rivier College Mercyhurst 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

  • Mercyhurst College is larger than than Rivier College based on total student enrollment (2,801 students vs. 2,551 students)

Rivier College vs. Mercyhurst College Cost Comparison

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

  • Mercyhurst College is 14.3% more expensive to attend than Rivier College for in-state tuition ($40,530.00 vs. $35,445.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.3% higher at Mercyhurst College than Rivier College ($40,530.00 vs. $35,445.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercyhurst College than Rivier College ($24,935 vs. $28,983)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercyhurst College are 2.4% lower than costs at Rivier College ($14,025 vs. $14,362)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rivier College than Mercyhurst College (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercyhurst College students is 50.4% larger than aid received Rivier College ($32,418 vs. $21,554)

Rivier College vs. Mercyhurst College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Rivier College has a higher acceptance rate (84.5%) than Mercyhurst College (80.6%)

Rivier College vs. Mercyhurst College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rivier 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 Rivier College.

  • The graduation rate at Mercyhurst College is higher than Rivier College (68% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Rivier College earn on average $2,700 more per year than Mercyhurst College graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $43,700)
  • Rivier College students graduate with a $1,243 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($25,455 vs. $26,698)
  • Rivier College graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Mercyhurst College graduates. ($263 vs. $276)
  • More Rivier College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercyhurst College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 56%)

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