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Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach Regional
Religious Affiliation Catholic
Location Erie, PA
Population 280,000
Website https://mercyhurst.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 110 (71%)
Sunshine Hours 1,900 (1% 🌧️)
Days Without Precipitation 209 (6% ☔)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 2,174
Men / Women 44% / 56%
From State 54%
From Region 35%
Athletes 36.4%

Racial/Ethnic

White 73%
Black 7%
Hispanic 6%
International 6%
Asian 2%
Native American 1%
Mixed 0%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 12% 24% 36% 48% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 43.7% 43.7% 2012 Men: 40.5% 40.5% 2013 Men: 44.2% 44.2% 2014 Men: 42.0% 42.0% 2015 Men: 41.6% 41.6% 2016 Men: 44.6% 44.6% 2017 Men: 40.9% 40.9% 2018 Men: 42.4% 42.4% 2019 Men: 40.4% 40.4% 2020 Men: 44.2% 44.2% 2021 Men: 43.5% 43.5% 2022 Men: 39.7% 39.7% 2023 Men: 42.7% 42.7% 2024 Men: 44.7% 44.7%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2012 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2014 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2016 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2018 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2019 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2020 Native: 1.6% 1.6% 2021 Native: 0.9% 0.9% 2022 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2023 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2024 Native: 1.8% 1.8% 2011 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2012 Asian: 1.2% 1.2% 2013 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2014 Asian: 1.9% 1.9% 2015 Asian: 1.0% 1.0% 2016 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2017 Asian: 1.2% 1.2% 2018 Asian: 1.2% 1.2% 2019 Asian: 1.3% 1.3% 2020 Asian: 1.8% 1.8% 2021 Asian: 1.4% 1.4% 2022 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2023 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2024 Asian: 1.8% 1.8% 2011 Black: 4.1% 4.1% 2012 Black: 5.5% 5.5% 2013 Black: 4.3% 4.3% 2014 Black: 4.5% 4.5% 2015 Black: 4.0% 4.0% 2016 Black: 4.0% 4.0% 2017 Black: 4.2% 4.2% 2018 Black: 3.3% 3.3% 2019 Black: 4.2% 4.2% 2020 Black: 6.3% 6.3% 2021 Black: 10.5% 10.5% 2022 Black: 9.6% 9.6% 2023 Black: 9.9% 9.9% 2024 Black: 9.1% 9.1% 2011 Hispanic: 2.4% 2.4% 2012 Hispanic: 2.8% 2.8% 2013 Hispanic: 3.1% 3.1% 2014 Hispanic: 3.0% 3.0% 2015 Hispanic: 1.6% 1.6% 2016 Hispanic: 2.4% 2.4% 2017 Hispanic: 3.0% 3.0% 2018 Hispanic: 3.0% 3.0% 2019 Hispanic: 3.4% 3.4% 2020 Hispanic: 3.9% 3.9% 2021 Hispanic: 5.3% 5.3% 2022 Hispanic: 5.2% 5.2% 2023 Hispanic: 3.3% 3.3% 2024 Hispanic: 4.2% 4.2% 2011 White: 77.3% 77.3% 2012 White: 75.8% 75.8% 2013 White: 77.7% 77.7% 2014 White: 79.3% 79.3% 2015 White: 86.1% 86.1% 2016 White: 81.4% 81.4% 2017 White: 76.7% 76.7% 2018 White: 70.3% 70.3% 2019 White: 76.5% 76.5% 2020 White: 73.4% 73.4% 2021 White: 70.6% 70.6% 2022 White: 76.3% 76.3% 2023 White: 70.2% 70.2% 2024 White: 78.7% 78.7% 2011 International: 4.2% 4.2% 2012 International: 4.7% 4.7% 2013 International: 7.8% 7.8% 2014 International: 5.3% 5.3% 2015 International: 5.4% 5.4% 2016 International: 8.4% 8.4% 2017 International: 8.2% 8.2% 2018 International: 6.8% 6.8% 2019 International: 8.4% 8.4% 2020 International: 11.7% 11.7% 2021 International: 8.4% 8.4% 2022 International: 3.9% 3.9% 2023 International: 5.3% 5.3% 2024 International: 2.7% 2.7%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 1.3% 1.3% 2021 Native: 0.9% 0.9% 2022 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2023 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2024 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2025 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2020 Asian: 1.5% 1.5% 2021 Asian: 1.2% 1.2% 2022 Asian: 1.1% 1.1% 2023 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2024 Asian: 1.3% 1.3% 2025 Asian: 1.7% 1.7% 2020 Black: 4.2% 4.2% 2021 Black: 4.9% 4.9% 2022 Black: 4.1% 4.1% 2023 Black: 5.1% 5.1% 2024 Black: 5.4% 5.4% 2025 Black: 7.1% 7.1% 2020 Hispanic: 4.2% 4.2% 2021 Hispanic: 4.3% 4.3% 2022 Hispanic: 4.7% 4.7% 2023 Hispanic: 5.0% 5.0% 2024 Hispanic: 5.6% 5.6% 2025 Hispanic: 5.6% 5.6% 2020 White: 81.0% 81.0% 2021 White: 81.6% 81.6% 2022 White: 80.7% 80.7% 2023 White: 76.5% 76.5% 2024 White: 74.7% 74.7% 2025 White: 73.2% 73.2% 2020 International: 5.6% 5.6% 2021 International: 4.1% 4.1% 2022 International: 4.4% 4.4% 2023 International: 4.6% 4.6% 2024 International: 5.6% 5.6% 2025 International: 6.3% 6.3%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Arts and Sciences 200 32% / 68% 6% $54,658 30 96%
Chemistry 1 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Mathematics 3 — 0% / 100% 67% $69,685 69 —
Physics 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Biochemistry 10 — 10% / 90% 10% $69,043 68 —
Biology 33 — 24% / 76% 6% $76,287 79 95%
Environmental Science 5 — 60% / 40% 0% $51,690 22 —
Anthropology 6 — 17% / 83% 0% $49,474 17 —
Communication Studies 8 — 62% / 38% 12% $51,266 21 100%
Communication Studies 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $51,266 21 —
English 6 — 33% / 67% 0% $42,229 7 100%
History 7 — 57% / 43% 0% $46,033 11 —
Interdisciplinary Studies 13 — 38% / 62% 0% $29,479 2 94%
Liberal Arts 3 — 0% / 100% 0% $37,922 4 96%
Philosophy — — — — $48,347 14 —
Political Science 7 — 14% / 86% 14% $61,020 49 94%
Psychology 29 — 21% / 79% 10% $51,550 22 94%
Religious Studies 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $47,684 13 —
Social Work 5 — 20% / 80% 20% $47,567 13 —
Sociology 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $50,001 18 —
Dance 7 — 14% / 86% 0% $40,394 5 100%
Graphic Design 6 — 50% / 50% 0% $58,641 42 94%
Interior Design 6 — 33% / 67% 0% $58,641 42 94%
Music 3 — 67% / 33% 0% $38,763 4 —
Music Theory and Composition 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $38,983 4 —
Studio Art 3 — 33% / 67% 0% $39,003 4 —
Criminal Justice 34 — 44% / 56% 0% $52,938 26 97%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Health Professions 54 31% / 69% 7% $73,269 75 94%
Athletic Training — — — — $68,252 66 —
Exercise Science 8 — 88% / 12% 25% $63,548 56 —
Health Sciences 26 — 27% / 73% 4% $77,968 81 91%
Nursing 7 — 14% / 86% 0% $96,507 94 100%
Physical Therapy Assistant 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Public Health 6 — 17% / 83% 17% $56,939 37 97%
Health Administration — — — — $68,267 66 —
Art Therapy 6 — 0% / 100% 0% $55,095 32 —
Music Therapy — — — — $57,092 38 —
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences 94 61% / 39% 5% $79,481 82 97%
Cybersecurity 31 — 87% / 13% 0% $87,016 88 —
Data Science 9 — 44% / 56% 44% $91,961 91 —
Geosciences 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Forensic Science and Technology 16 — 6% / 94% 6% $52,621 25 97%
Intelligence 37 — 65% / 35% 0% $81,749 84 97%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
School of Education 37 24% / 76% 3% $51,080 20 100%
Early Childhood Education — — — — $50,586 19 —
Early Childhood Special Education 26 — 15% / 85% 4% $51,096 20 100%
Education 6 — 50% / 50% 0% $50,823 20 —
Spanish Language Teacher Education — — — — $51,338 21 —
Special Education — — — — $51,096 20 100%
Art Teacher Education 3 — 33% / 67% 0% $51,326 21 —
Music Education 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $51,279 21 —
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Walker College of Business 112 59% / 41% 12% $65,979 62 96%
Accounting 7 — 57% / 43% 0% $81,829 84 96%
Business 11 — 91% / 9% 27% $66,733 63 —
Business Administration 10 — 70% / 30% 20% $62,839 54 92%
Event Planning 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $49,629 17 93%
Finance 15 — 67% / 33% 7% $76,020 78 93%
Hospitality Management 10 — 20% / 80% 0% $49,629 17 93%
Human Resources Management 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $64,818 59 —
International Business — — — — $74,715 77 —
Management Science 22 — 73% / 27% 9% $64,870 59 —
Managerial Economics 4 — 75% / 25% 75% $76,026 79 —
Marketing 19 — 53% / 47% 11% $69,703 69 100%
Risk Management and Insurance — — — — $77,218 80 —
Fashion Merchandising 11 — 18% / 82% 9% $52,996 26 100%

Financial

Tuition & Fees $48,893
ROI Percentile 56th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 80%
4-Year Graduation Rate 58%
6-Year Graduation Rate 60%
Transfer-Out Rate 38%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 62.1% 62.1% 2012 Graduated: 66.9% 66.9% 2013 Graduated: 60.5% 60.5% 2014 Graduated: 68.2% 68.2% 2015 Graduated: 65.1% 65.1% 2016 Graduated: 66.9% 66.9% 2017 Graduated: 68.3% 68.3% 2018 Graduated: 69.4% 69.4% 2019 Graduated: 68.3% 68.3% 2020 Graduated: 70.7% 70.7% 2021 Graduated: 62.3% 62.3% 2022 Graduated: 63.3% 63.3% 2023 Graduated: 58.7% 58.7% 2024 Graduated: 60.2% 60.2%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 61.0% 61.0% 2012 Men: 62.9% 62.9% 2013 Men: 57.6% 57.6% 2014 Men: 65.2% 65.2% 2015 Men: 58.8% 58.8% 2016 Men: 67.5% 67.5% 2017 Men: 68.2% 68.2% 2018 Men: 63.9% 63.9% 2019 Men: 66.5% 66.5% 2020 Men: 66.0% 66.0% 2021 Men: 53.7% 53.7% 2022 Men: 55.7% 55.7% 2023 Men: 51.0% 51.0% 2024 Men: 53.4% 53.4% 2011 Women: 62.9% 62.9% 2012 Women: 70.0% 70.0% 2013 Women: 62.5% 62.5% 2014 Women: 70.1% 70.1% 2015 Women: 69.5% 69.5% 2016 Women: 66.4% 66.4% 2017 Women: 68.4% 68.4% 2018 Women: 73.0% 73.0% 2019 Women: 69.8% 69.8% 2020 Women: 74.0% 74.0% 2021 Women: 69.2% 69.2% 2022 Women: 70.1% 70.1% 2023 Women: 64.8% 64.8% 2024 Women: 65.6% 65.6%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Black: 20.0% 20.0% 2012 Black: 51.9% 51.9% 2013 Black: 41.4% 41.4% 2014 Black: 41.4% 41.4% 2015 Black: 33.3% 33.3% 2016 Black: 48.1% 48.1% 2017 Black: 46.4% 46.4% 2018 Black: 54.5% 54.5% 2019 Black: 48.0% 48.0% 2020 Black: 51.3% 51.3% 2021 Black: 37.5% 37.5% 2022 Black: 36.0% 36.0% 2023 Black: 36.0% 36.0% 2024 Black: 32.4% 32.4% 2011 Hispanic: 73.9% 73.9% 2012 Hispanic: 51.9% 51.9% 2013 Hispanic: 47.6% 47.6% 2014 Hispanic: 63.2% 63.2% 2015 Hispanic: 54.5% 54.5% 2016 Hispanic: 56.2% 56.2% 2017 Hispanic: 65.0% 65.0% 2018 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2019 Hispanic: 65.0% 65.0% 2020 Hispanic: 54.2% 54.2% 2021 Hispanic: 47.5% 47.5% 2022 Hispanic: 61.7% 61.7% 2023 Hispanic: 36.0% 36.0% 2024 Hispanic: 44.1% 44.1% 2011 White: 63.5% 63.5% 2012 White: 69.9% 69.9% 2013 White: 61.7% 61.7% 2014 White: 71.3% 71.3% 2015 White: 66.4% 66.4% 2016 White: 68.1% 68.1% 2017 White: 69.6% 69.6% 2018 White: 72.4% 72.4% 2019 White: 69.4% 69.4% 2020 White: 72.4% 72.4% 2021 White: 67.5% 67.5% 2022 White: 65.6% 65.6% 2023 White: 67.0% 67.0% 2024 White: 65.5% 65.5% 2011 International: 73.2% 73.2% 2012 International: 66.7% 66.7% 2013 International: 64.2% 64.2% 2014 International: 70.6% 70.6% 2015 International: 77.8% 77.8% 2016 International: 76.8% 76.8% 2017 International: 72.7% 72.7% 2018 International: 84.4% 84.4% 2019 International: 76.0% 76.0% 2020 International: 77.8% 77.8% 2021 International: 64.1% 64.1% 2022 International: 82.9% 82.9% 2023 International: 55.0% 55.0% 2024 International: 63.6% 63.6%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Business & Economics 20.3% 101 63% / 37% 13% $67,393 65 95%
Humanities & Social Sciences 17.5% 87 30% / 70% 7% $46,994 12 96%
Professional 17.5% 87 46% / 54% 1% $65,133 60 97%
Arts 9.7% 48 29% / 71% 2% $50,600 19 98%
Health Sciences 9.7% 48 35% / 65% 8% $75,590 78 94%
Life & Natural Sciences 8.7% 43 21% / 79% 7% $74,602 77 95%
Computer Science 8.0% 40 78% / 22% 10% $88,129 89 —
Education 6.4% 32 22% / 78% 3% $51,045 20 100%
Physical Sciences & Math 1.2% 6 33% / 67% 33% $69,685 69 —
Agriculture & Food Science 1.0% 5 60% / 40% 0% $51,690 22 —

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 82%
Yield (Unbound) 20%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 82% 82% 82%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 76.2% 76.2% 2012 Acceptance: 76.7% 76.7% 2013 Acceptance: 75.4% 75.4% 2014 Acceptance: 80.3% 80.3% 2015 Acceptance: 80.4% 80.4% 2016 Acceptance: 75.2% 75.2% 2017 Acceptance: 69.9% 69.9% 2018 Acceptance: 59.8% 59.8% 2019 Acceptance: 86.4% 86.4% 2020 Acceptance: 88.0% 88.0% 2021 Acceptance: 82.4% 82.4% 2022 Acceptance: 80.6% 80.6% 2023 Acceptance: 83.2% 83.2% 2024 Acceptance: 81.0% 81.0% 2011 Yield: 30.0% 30.0% 2012 Yield: 29.6% 29.6% 2013 Yield: 27.1% 27.1% 2014 Yield: 29.1% 29.1% 2015 Yield: 26.7% 26.7% 2016 Yield: 29.6% 29.6% 2017 Yield: 22.9% 22.9% 2018 Yield: 35.0% 35.0% 2019 Yield: 23.3% 23.3% 2020 Yield: 22.0% 22.0% 2021 Yield: 19.5% 19.5% 2022 Yield: 18.7% 18.7% 2023 Yield: 19.6% 19.6% 2024 Yield: 20.3% 20.3%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 1,250 2,500 3,750 5,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 2,965 2,965 2012 Applicants: 2,961 2,961 2013 Applicants: 2,938 2,938 2014 Applicants: 2,610 2,610 2015 Applicants: 2,749 2,749 2016 Applicants: 3,254 3,254 2017 Applicants: 3,673 3,673 2018 Applicants: 3,073 3,073 2019 Applicants: 2,936 2,936 2020 Applicants: 3,457 3,457 2021 Applicants: 3,893 3,893 2022 Applicants: 3,625 3,625 2023 Applicants: 3,500 3,500 2024 Applicants: 3,567 3,567 2011 Admitted: 2,260 2,260 2012 Admitted: 2,270 2,270 2013 Admitted: 2,214 2,214 2014 Admitted: 2,097 2,097 2015 Admitted: 2,210 2,210 2016 Admitted: 2,448 2,448 2017 Admitted: 2,568 2,568 2018 Admitted: 1,838 1,838 2019 Admitted: 2,538 2,538 2020 Admitted: 3,043 3,043 2021 Admitted: 3,207 3,207 2022 Admitted: 2,920 2,920 2023 Admitted: 2,913 2,913 2024 Admitted: 2,890 2,890 2011 Enrolled: 677 677 2012 Enrolled: 672 672 2013 Enrolled: 600 600 2014 Enrolled: 610 610 2015 Enrolled: 591 591 2016 Enrolled: 724 724 2017 Enrolled: 589 589 2018 Enrolled: 644 644 2019 Enrolled: 591 591 2020 Enrolled: 670 670 2021 Enrolled: 625 625 2022 Enrolled: 547 547 2023 Enrolled: 571 571 2024 Enrolled: 588 588

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional

SAT Composite

25th 75th
900 1000 1100 1200 1300 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 950 950 2012 25th: 950 950 2013 25th: 940 940 2011 75th: 1170 1170 2012 75th: 1180 1180 2013 75th: 1160 1160

SAT Math

25th 75th
450 500 550 600 650 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 480 480 2012 25th: 480 480 2013 25th: 470 470 2011 75th: 590 590 2012 75th: 590 590 2013 75th: 580 580

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
450 500 550 600 650 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 470 470 2012 25th: 470 470 2013 25th: 470 470 2011 75th: 580 580 2012 75th: 590 590 2013 75th: 580 580

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2012 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2013 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.