Admit rate has ranged 81%–88% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Mercyhurst University is a private, Catholic liberal arts institution perched on a hill overlooking Lake Erie in Pennsylvania. With an 81% acceptance rate and a test-optional policy, it offers a notably accessible path to a personalized education, anchored by close mentorship and a flexible core curriculum across more than 50 majors. The campus culture is defined by its 75-acre setting, a tight-knit community of 2,600+ students, and a distinctive blend of academic support, campus traditions, and Division II athletics.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
2,191
In-state tuition
$45,770
Out-of-state tuition
$45,770
NCAA Teams
31 (Division II)
Campus Size
75 acres
Graduation Rate
60%
Median Earnings (10yr)
$47,452
Students Receiving Financial Aid
72%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$47,452
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.4×
Median debt at graduation
$25,305
Graduation rate
60%
First-year retention
80%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
54%
Pell (lower-income) share
31%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
29%
Financial health
1.8 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$60,771
Computer and Information Sciences, General$52,107
Accounting and Related Services$50,856
Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations$49,464
Finance and Financial Management Services$48,432
Marketing
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
7
Per 1,000 students
2.75
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
94
Summer high
76°F
Winter low
24°F
Annual rain
54"
Annual snow
67.7"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
68
Scholarly works
938
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
0.8%
Bottom → top quintile
15%
From bottom quintile
6%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Mercyhurst University?
Mercyhurst University's acceptance rate is approximately 81% (Erie, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Mercyhurst University cost?
At Mercyhurst University, the average net price (after aid) is about $19,444 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Mercyhurst University?
Mercyhurst University enrolls approximately 2,191 undergraduate students.
Where is Mercyhurst University located?
Mercyhurst University is located in Erie, PA.
Admissions
Mercyhurst's admissions process is characterized by high accessibility and a student-centered, flexible approach. The university is described as "less selective," with an overall of 81% from a pool of 3,567 applicants. A significant feature of its policy is that it does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission, though students are invited to submit them if they believe the scores represent a positive component of their application portfolio. For those who do submit, the middle 50% SAT range is reported between 1070 and 1280 (or 1290, according to some sources), and the ACT range is 21 to 29. The average high school GPA of admitted students is approximately 3.55. The university's admissions materials emphasize a supportive process, stating they will "be here to assist you at every step of the way." There is no available data in the provided sources regarding an Early Decision program, acceptance rate for early decision, or the percentage of the class filled via early decision. Similarly, the sources do not provide information on whether demonstrated interest is a considered factor in admissions decisions.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$41,565
Business Administration, Management and Operations$39,369
Design and Applied Arts$39,009
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
The academic experience at Mercyhurst is built on a foundation of close mentorship and a flexible core curriculum designed to provide "the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to live a better, fuller, richer life of service." The university offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and a variety of minors, spanning fields from Anthropology and Archaeology to Accounting. Popular majors for recent graduates are heavily oriented toward professional fields; the most popular for the class of 2024 was Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, comprising 15% of graduates, followed by Military Science, Leadership and Operational Art. This practical focus is balanced by the institution's commitment to the liberal arts and ensuring strong academic support. The university promotes its "awesome theatrical productions" and "great summer programs" as part of the broader educational offering.
Life on Mercyhurst's 75-acre hilltop campus—a "hurst" overlooking Lake Erie—is designed as a "welcoming environment" to help students adjust to college. The residence life team strives to create a living environment that encourages social, cultural, and emotional growth. With over 2,600 students, the campus fosters a close-knit culture where smaller class sizes and accessible faculty contribute to students building meaningful friendships and leadership experience. The university boasts a vibrant array of student clubs, campus traditions, and multicultural celebrations. The campus life Instagram account highlights celebrations for LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, Caribbean American Heritage Month, Juneteenth, and Neurodiversity Pride Day, indicating an active cultural awareness calendar. The university is also home to 31 athletic teams (competing in NCAA Division II) and a proud Irish mascot, rounding out a traditional collegiate atmosphere. As one source notes, "there's no shortage of opportunity to leave your mark at Mercyhurst."
Mercyhurst reports a six-year graduation rate that sources place between 59% and 66%, with one federal scorecard noting a rate of 65% against a national midpoint of 59% for four-year colleges. This places its graduation performance slightly above average and within the top half of comparable institutions. Early career earnings for graduates are modest; one source estimates average early-career earnings of about $34,000, while another reports earnings one year after graduation at $39,521. Earnings five years after graduation are reported at $52,189 per year. The university's overall outcomes score is reported as 59 out of 100 in one ranking system, with graduation rate being a significant component.
The published total at Mercyhurst—including tuition, fees, room, and board—is listed at $63,958 ($47,270 for tuition and fees, $13,288 for room and board). However, the university emphasizes affordability through institutional aid, noting that scholarship awards can be up to $25,000. A high percentage of students (72.09%) receive financial aid, with the average aid package reported as $37,646. This significantly reduces the for most families. The average annual net price after aid is reported by various sources as $19,444, $26,962, or $33,213, indicating a range based on individual circumstances. Mercyhurst provides need-based institutional grants, known as Mercyhurst Grants, which are awarded based on the completion of the FAFSA to help subsidize expenses. The university encourages the use of its net price calculator as a tool to show "how affordable and accessible our generous scholarships and financial aid make" the institution. The provided sources do not contain information indicating that Mercyhurst has a policy of meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need or a no-loan financial aid policy for qualifying students.
Mercyhurst carves out a distinct identity by pairing the accessibility and support of a regional comprehensive university with the intentional community and mentorship ethos of a small liberal arts college. Its , high-acceptance-rate admissions process opens doors widely, but the real differentiator is what happens after students arrive: a flexible, practical curriculum with over 50 majors, delivered with a promise of "close mentorship" on a classic, 75-acre hilltop campus. It’s a place where the practical focus on business and military science coexists with vibrant theater productions and a conscientiously celebrated cultural calendar. The result is a grounded, community-oriented experience that emphasizes personal growth and professional preparation without the cutthroat pressure of more selective institutions. For students seeking a supportive path to a degree with a clear sense of place and tradition—complete with a proud Irish mascot and Lake Erie views—Mercyhurst offers a distinctive and structured alternative.
