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Compare Eastern University vs Mercyhurst University

Saint Davids, PA · Erie, PA

Eastern UniversityMercyhurst University
Cost
Price after aid (average)$26,662/yr$19,444/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$26,557/yr$22,626/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$25,000$25,305
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$22,232/yr$22,429/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$23,373/yr$17,197/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$25,963/yr$21,665/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$32,353/yr$16,748/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$265/mo$268/mo
Room & board (on campus)$13,498/yr$14,540/yr
Room & board (off campus)$12,608/yr$12,030/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,312/yr$1,200/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$4,068/yr$2,269/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$55,001/yr$59,557/yr
Tuition (in-state)$38,400/yr$45,770/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$38,400/yr$45,770/yr
Students with Pell Grants42%31%
Students taking federal loans57%65%
Getting in
Students who get accepted91%81%
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received2,8523,500
Students accepted2,6702,913
Students who enrolled503571
Accepted students who enroll19%20%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores1%No data reported
Enrolled who sent ACT scores1%No data reported
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Recommendation lettersOptional (considered if sent)Required
Class rankOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
College-prep programOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
Legacy consideredOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate54%60%
Freshmen who come back65%80%
Typical earnings 10 years in$51,655/yr$47,452/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$32,081–$74,621$28,870–$68,639
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)57%65%
White students graduating64%66%
Black students graduating49%32%
Hispanic students graduating41%44%
Asian students graduating50%40%
Typical earnings 6 years in$41,580/yr$39,565/yr
Earn more than a HS grad72%73%
Graduate on time50%58%
Pell students who graduate48%43%
First-gen students who finish45%39%
Low-income students who finish34%29%
Students who transfer out11%38%
Typical earnings 8 years in$47,074/yr$45,273/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 14% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 13% · Health Professions 12%Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Health Professions 17% · Homeland Security & Protective Services 14%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 14% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees
2nd most popular programLiberal Arts & General Studies — 13% of degreesHealth Professions — 17% of degrees
3rd most popular programHealth Professions — 12% of degreesHomeland Security & Protective Services — 14% of degrees
4th most popular programFamily & Consumer Sciences — 11% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 9% of degrees
5th most popular programEducation — 10% of degreesEducation — 6% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $83,733/yrAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $101,125/yr
Degrees in STEM6.9%15%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment2,4042,191
Students per professor21 : 114 : 1
Graduate students6,227358
Average professor pay$5,855/mo$7,193/mo
Full-time professors27%60%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byMiddle States Commission on Higher EducationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Median family income$36,522$51,028
SettingSuburb (large)City (small)
LocationSaint Davids, PAErie, PA
RegionMid EastMid East
Founded19251926
Public or privatePrivate (nonprofit)Private (nonprofit)
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationMaster's Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsMaster's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students4.5%6%
Men37%43%
Women63%57%
White students41%73%
Black students27%7.4%
Hispanic or Latino students17%5.6%
Asian students2.1%1.6%
Two or more races3.6%0.1%
Other / not reported4.6%6%
Special typeReligiously affiliatedReligiously affiliated
First-generation students36%29%
Part-time students30%3.9%
Students age 25+31%6.7%
Spent on teaching per student$4,064/yr$9,031/yr
Endowment$34.0M$32.8M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing9602,000
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$7,006/yr$7,354/yr
Meal plan charge$6,162/yr$6,920/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per week21 meals/week20 meals/week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Religious affiliationAmerican BaptistRoman Catholic
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCYes — Army, Air ForceYes — Army
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesNo
Weekend & evening classesNoYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesNoYes
On-campus day careNoNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationNoNo
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division III with footballNCAA Division I-FCS
Football teamYesYes
Varsity teams1826
Student athletes643759
Athletic scholarships$0$10.9M
Athletics budget$4.9M$19.3M
Athletics revenue$5.6M$19.4M
Recruiting spend$110,487$255,789

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.