
Cedar Rapids, IAprivate nonprofitwww.mtmercy.edu/
Admit rate has ranged 66%–81% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. 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.
Mount Mercy University, a small Catholic institution in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, offers a tight-knit academic community with a focus on service and ethical leadership. With an acceptance rate hovering around 78-83%, it's accessible yet maintains a graduation rate that outperforms expectations for its student demographic. The university shines in social mobility and delivers a surprisingly affordable net price after aid.
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
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.
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mount Mercy's admissions process is moderately selective, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. ranging from 62% to 83% across different reports. The university is Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight.—ACT and SAT scores aren't required for admission but can help with scholarship eligibility. Associate degree holders with at least a 2.0 GPA get automatic acceptance. Mid-50% test scores for admitted students fall between 17-24 on the ACT and 890-1080 on the SAT, with an average high school GPA of 3.5.
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.
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.
Mount Mercy emphasizes service, ethical leadership, and social responsibility across its curriculum. The university offers 12 majors and 5 minors in a close-knit environment with a 12:1 student-faculty ratio. Popular programs include business, nursing, and education, with coursework designed to prepare students for a changing world. The academic experience is enhanced by career counseling, honor societies, and networking opportunities.
Life on 'the Hill' revolves around a tight-knit community of about 1,185 undergraduates. Students describe an atmosphere of purpose and compassion, with active club participation and themed student section events. The university offers:
The small size fosters strong faculty relationships, with many students citing easy access to professors as a key advantage.
Mount Mercy's 56-64% graduation rate outperforms expectations for its student population by 14%. The university ranks in the top 10 for social mobility among Midwest regional universities, demonstrating success with First-generation (first-gen)A student who would be the first in their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. Many colleges consider this in context. and lower-income students. About 5% of graduates earn significantly more than high school graduates, though specific salary data isn't available. Retention rates stand at 70.1% for first-year students.
While the sticker price reaches $61,122, the average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid drops dramatically to $14,771 for tuition alone or $28,407 including room and board. A remarkable 100% of incoming students receive scholarships, with average aid packages totaling $25,337. The university provides a net price calculator to help families estimate costs, and strongly encourages completing the FAFSA to maximize aid opportunities.
Mount Mercy punches above its weight in two key areas: social mobility and value. Its top-10 regional ranking for moving students up the economic ladder reflects a mission-driven approach to education. The university delivers this impact at a Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. that's less than half its sticker cost—a rare combination of accessibility and outcomes. Add in the Mercy Catholic emphasis on service and leadership, and you get a small university making a disproportionate difference in students' lives.