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AccessibleUpdated for the 2026-2027 cycle

Mount Mercy University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

With an acceptance rate near 83%, Mount Mercy University is an accessible private college in Iowa. Because it admits most qualified applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.

Your odds at Mount Mercy University
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Mount Mercy University weighs, where it ranks among Iowa schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1120, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
83%
Accessible
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1120
of admitted students
Type
Private
Cedar Rapids, IA
Average net price
$20,168
per year after aid

What do students study at Mount Mercy University?

Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.

Business, Management and Marketing · 96 (31%)Health Professions and Related Programs · 88 (28.4%)Education · 40 (12.9%)Psychology · 17 (5.5%)Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting · 14 (4.5%)Liberal Arts and General Studies · 13 (4.2%)

Will I get into Mount Mercy University?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Mount Mercy University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Mount Mercy University?

Mount Mercy University admits most qualified applicants (around 83%), but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Mount Mercy University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Mount Mercy University hard to get into?

Mount Mercy University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 83% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Mount Mercy University?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Mount Mercy University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Mount Mercy University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for Mount Mercy University?

Mount Mercy University does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1120. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at Mount Mercy University.

Calculate your chances at Mount Mercy University →

Your chances at Mount Mercy University by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Mount Mercy University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).

What are my chances at Mount Mercy University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1060 SAT?

About 97% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1060 SAT, the middle of Mount Mercy University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1120 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Mount Mercy University by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 99025th pctSAT 1060middleSAT 112075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.557%Likely72%Safety81%Safety61%Likely
2.883%Safety90%Safety94%Safety89%Safety
3.195%Safety97%Safety98%Safety98%Safety
3.498%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/mount-mercy-university.

How to get into Mount Mercy University

Built from Mount Mercy University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

Here is how to get into Mount Mercy University, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Mount Mercy University carries about a 3.09 core GPA and a 1070 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Build the file around what Mount Mercy University weighs

Mount Mercy University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 3
Apply in the round that helps

An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Mount Mercy University's exact dates at www.mtmercy.edu.

See your odds and your top moves at Mount Mercy University →Add it to your college list →Official site: www.mtmercy.edu ↗

How many students apply to Mount Mercy University, and how many get in?

For the fall 2023 entering class, Mount Mercy University received 1,436 applications and admitted 1,131, an acceptance rate of 78.8%. 208 enrolled. Only about 18% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Mount Mercy University enrolls about 1,107 undergraduates in total, 59% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1.

Applied
1,436
fall 2023
Admitted
1,131
78.8% of applicants
Enrolled
208
18% yield
Undergraduates
1,107
Cedar Rapids, midsize city

Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Mount Mercy University?

Mount Mercy University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.

Test scores
Test-optional
admissions policy

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.

What Mount Mercy University looks for

What Mount Mercy University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

In its review, Mount Mercy University leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Mount Mercy University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Very important
Academic GPA
Very important
Class rank
Considered
Standardized test scores
Important
Application essay
Considered
Recommendations
Considered
Interview
Considered
Extracurricular activities
Considered
Talent / ability
Considered
Character / personal qualities
Considered
Volunteer work
Considered
Level of applicant interest
Considered

SAT score positioning at Mount Mercy University

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Mount Mercy University
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Above the admitted 75th percentile
1100In the competitive admitted range
Colleges for a 1120 SAT →Colleges for a 22 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Mount Mercy University cost after financial aid?

Mount Mercy University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $55,054 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $40,878. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $20,168 a year, and it ranges from $17,070 for families earning under $30,000 to $25,244 for families earning over $110,000. 27% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$55,054
per year, before aid
Average net price
$20,168
after grants and scholarships
Pell recipients
27%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$17,070
$30k to $48k$15,294
$48k to $75k$16,883
$75k to $110k$20,311
Over $110k$25,244

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.

What do Mount Mercy University graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Ten years after enrolling, the median Mount Mercy University student who received federal aid earns $60,787 a year, up from $52,871 at six years. 58% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 73% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $23,699; 53% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$60,787
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
58%
within six years
Retention
73%
return for year two
Median debt
$23,699
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Mount Mercy University compares in Iowa

Mount Mercy University ranks #15 most selective of 21 schools in Iowa in our database.

Among the 21 Iowa schools we track, Mount Mercy University ranks #15 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Grinnell College (15%) and William Penn University (52%) sit nearby, which makes Iowa a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.

Grinnell College
15%acceptance · IA
William Penn University
52%acceptance · IA
Drake University
64%acceptance · IA
Coe College
64%acceptance · IA
Briar Cliff University
65%acceptance · IA
Dordt University
68%acceptance · IA
Morningside University
71%acceptance · IA
Luther College
72%acceptance · IA
See all Iowa schools →

Similar to Mount Mercy University

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

Build around Mount Mercy University with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as St. John's University, Assumption University, and Bridgeport University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

St. John's University
83%acceptance · NY
Assumption University
83%acceptance · MA
Bridgeport University
83%acceptance · CT
Catholic University
83%acceptance · DC
Findlay University
83%acceptance · OH
Roanoke College
83%acceptance · VA

Frequently asked questions

What is Mount Mercy University's acceptance rate?

Mount Mercy University admitted 1,131 of 1,436 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 78.8% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 18% of admitted students enrolled.

Is Mount Mercy University test-optional?

Yes. Mount Mercy University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.

How much does Mount Mercy University cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Mount Mercy University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $20,168 a year against a sticker price of about $55,054. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $17,070 on average.

What do Mount Mercy University graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Mount Mercy University are $60,787 a year among students who received federal aid, and 58% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Mount Mercy University value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Mount Mercy University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Mount Mercy University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?

Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Mount Mercy University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.

How can I improve my chances at Mount Mercy University?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Mount Mercy University specifically.

Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.