Mount Mercy University

Private · Moderately Selective · IA

Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri (CC BY 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationIA · Midwest

SettingUrban

Undergrads1,107

Student:faculty14:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate54.4%

6-yr grad rate57.7%

Drop-out rate27.2%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$41k

Out-of-state tuition$41k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity44.1%

Gender diversity58.6%

International12.3%

IdentityRoman Catholic

Overview

Mount Mercy University is a private Catholic university in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, founded by the Sisters of Mercy, set on a hilltop campus overlooking the city. It serves both traditional-age undergraduates and working adults, blending a residential college culture with degree-completion programs.

Academics

Nursing, business, education, and criminal justice are the strongest and most enrolled programs, reflecting a practical, career-focused curriculum consistent with its Mercy heritage of service-oriented professions. Class sizes are small, typical of a college this size.

Campus & student life

The hilltop setting gives the campus views over Cedar Rapids, and the university functions as a smaller, quieter option within a mid-sized Iowa city that also hosts larger institutions nearby. Catholic identity and a service ethic tied to the Sisters of Mercy founding remain visible in campus culture even as the student body has grown more religiously diverse.

Worth knowing

Its dual mission — a traditional residential college alongside adult-completion programs — means the campus population includes a real mix of ages and life stages, not just recent high school graduates.

mtmercy.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate82.5%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying