Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 57/100

Gwynedd Mercy University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania

About Gwynedd Mercy University

Thinking about Gwynedd Mercy University, a college in Pennsylvania where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Gwynedd Mercy University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 1,067 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
89.6%
Graduation
52.7%
Net Price
$27,483
Median Earnings (10yr)
$67,145
Enrollment
1,067
Student : Faculty
9:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
57/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 52
Value 40
Affordability 26
Selectivity 25

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Gwynedd Mercy University admits 89.6% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.

Acceptance Rate
89.6%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1023 – 1186
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Gwynedd Mercy University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↓ 1.5 pts since 2019
95.1%201988%202090.6%202158.4%202293.6%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $27,483 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$27,483
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
25%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
55%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$40,122
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,956
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,494
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,896
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$10,644
Total Cost of Attendance
$55,786

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $21,995
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $20,617
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $22,269
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $27,992
  • Over $110,000
    $32,456

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$5,250
10% percentile
$10,500
25% percentile
$25,000
Median percentile
$27,000
75% percentile
$35,647
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $26,000 ↑ $1,000
No Pell $20,500 ↓ $4,500
Dependent students $19,702 ↓ $5,298
Independent students $25,000 —
Female students $24,250 ↓ $750
Male students $20,500 ↓ $4,500
Pell recipients: 19.1% (4,781 students)No Pell: 15.1% (3,770 students)Dependent students: 14.5% (3,623 students)Independent students: 18.4% (4,597 students)Female students: 17.8% (4,459 students)Male students: 15.1% (3,770 students)Overall Median$25,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,250, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

53% of students who start here finish within six years, and 78% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
53%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
78%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $67,145 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$67,145
Earning > $25K
86%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$66,000$66,000$66,500$67,000$67,5006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$56,000

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$57,800

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$49,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$55,500

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$58,900

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 17.2 pts across 6 years
69.3%1yr73.6%3yr80.7%5yr86.5%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 87% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,067 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 44% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
1,067
Part-Time
7%
First-Generation
44%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 63.0% 672
Black 16.3% 174
Hispanic 6.3% 67
Asian 5.2% 55
Other 3.6% 38
International 0.2% 2
White: 63.0% (672 students)Black: 16.3% (174 students)Hispanic: 6.3% (67 students)Asian: 5.2% (55 students)Other: 3.6% (38 students)International: 0.2% (2 students)Total1,067

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Gwynedd Mercy University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large Suburb Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania
Housing
Partly residential 309 beds available
Adult Learners
19% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Education graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Gwynedd Mercy University offers a varied set of programs: 35 distinct programs across 14 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

9 Programs
3 Programs
2 Programs
1 Program
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 9 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
9:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$101M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,073
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

82 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 10 12% $87,461
Associate Professors 16 20% $71,025
Assistant Professors 36 44% $65,368
Instructors 20 24% $60,885

Pros & Cons of Gwynedd Mercy University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Gwynedd Mercy University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Below-average completion rate
  • Modest first-year retention
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for: Based on the data, Gwynedd Mercy University is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Gwynedd Mercy University

The questions families ask most about Gwynedd Mercy University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Gwynedd Mercy University hard to get into?
Not especially. Gwynedd Mercy University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 89.6%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Gwynedd Mercy University?
89.6% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Gwynedd Mercy University?
Aim for 1186 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1023 and 1186 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Gwynedd Mercy University cost?
Budget around $27,483 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Gwynedd Mercy University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $67,145 a year against a net price of $27,483, about 2.4 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Gwynedd Mercy University known for?
Mostly Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12), Educational Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Gwynedd Mercy University graduates earn?
About $67,145 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Gwynedd Mercy University accredited?
Yes. Gwynedd Mercy University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Gwynedd Mercy University?
1,067 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Gwynedd Mercy University?
53% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Gwynedd Mercy University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Gwynedd Mercy University located?
Gwynedd Mercy University is located in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania.
What programs does Gwynedd Mercy University offer?
35 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12), Educational Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Gwynedd Mercy University?
9 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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