Mount Mercy University vs Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Mercy University and Iowa Wesleyan University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Iowa, offer distinct educational experiences. Mount Mercy, a private Catholic university, boasts a higher acceptance rate (85%) compared to Iowa Wesleyan's 68%. Mount Mercy's student body is more diverse, with a larger international student population. Iowa Wesleyan, on the other hand, has a higher graduation rate (58%) and a smaller student-to-faculty ratio, providing a more personalized learning environment. While Mount Mercy excels in nursing and health professions, Iowa Wesleyan shines in business and education. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Iowa Wesleyan University	Mount Mercy University
Overview
Location	Mount Pleasant, Iowa	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Campus setting	Town: Remote	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	51.0%	78.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation	Methodism	Catholic

Admission
Acceptance rate	81.9%	81.0%
Application fees
SAT range	820 - 1020	N/A
ACT range	15 - 20	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	9.0%
Students submitting ACT score	22.0%
Total number of applicants	3,934	1,278
Total number of admissions given out	3,222	1,035
Admitted students who chose to enroll	267	222
Yield rate	8.3%	21.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$42,840	$53,992
Average net price	$34,988	$25,345
Tuition	$32,550	$35,540
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,410 Meal plan: $6,930	$10,428
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	97.0% Average amount $12,333	100.0% Average amount $24,399
Students receiving federal student loan	92.0% Average amount $4,286	75.0% Average amount $8,519
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $6,430	15.0% Average amount $13,309

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	758 Men 57.9% Women 42.1%	1,290 Men 34.4% Women 65.6%
Graduate students	67 Men 52.2% Women 47.8%	290 Men 34.1% Women 65.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	14.0%
International students	11.3%	4.8%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	568	561
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Iowa Illinois Arizona Minnesota Wisconsin

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Health Professions	Business Health Professions Education Law Enforcement and Firefighting Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	22.5%	59.9%
Dropout rate	32.5%	39.2%
Transferred out	44.2%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $35,594 Year 3: N/A Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,581 Year 2: $49,840 Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,362 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $72,108 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $71,895 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,297 Year 2: $68,666 Year 3: $68,063 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,444 Year 2: $52,822 Year 3: $63,134 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,232 Year 2: $58,402 Year 3: $60,703 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,547 Year 2: $56,847 Year 3: $56,894 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,894 Year 2: $47,846 Year 3: $56,288 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,879 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $46,541 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,384 Year 2: $41,689 Year 3: $44,808 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,591 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $41,729 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,647 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $40,888

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