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CollegeRanker
Private nonprofit Dobbs Ferry, NY · Suburban · Mid-Atlantic · 100% data
A Social Mobility B Earnings B- Value
Graduation Rate
47% D+
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$52,055 B
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$14,072 C+
18% less than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
86% C-
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +28% vs avg
Graduation -18% vs avg
Net Price +-18% vs avg
Mobility Top 6%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 22.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $22.0 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Nursing Colleges in New York.

22.0× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $22.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,182,823.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Earnings 28% above the national college median.

  3. Social mobility rate of 3.52% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $22.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Mercy University Matters

Mercy University is a private university in Dobbs Ferry, NY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
5,735
Setting
Suburban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Psychology, Social Sciences

Why students choose Mercy University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B-
Top 34% overall
B
Earnings
$52,055 median
B-
Value
3.7× net price
C+
Affordability
$14,072/yr net
D+
Graduation
47% graduate
A
Social Mobility
3.5% climb Q1→Q5
C-
Selectivity
86% admit rate
B
Diversity
0.67 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an acceptance rate of 86%, Mercy University is a welcoming option for students seeking a supportive environment. This institution attracts individuals interested in fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Psychology, Social Sciences, and Criminal Justice. It’s a place where students can engage in hands-on learning and connect with peers who share similar aspirations.

Looking at what happens after graduation, the average earnings peaking at $52,055 ten years post-degree offer a glimpse into the potential return on investment. The affordability factor is significant too, with a net price of $14,072 after aid, making it approachable for many students. Half of the enrolled students receive Pell Grants, which can ease the financial burden and help pave the way for success.

When it comes to the practical aspects, the median debt of $19,637 is manageable for graduates, especially given the earning potential. Students who thrive here often value a close-knit community and the chance to make a difference in their chosen fields. Mercy University is particularly suited for those who appreciate a blend of personal attention and career-oriented education.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Mercy University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Mercy University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Mercy University, located in Dobbs Ferry, New York, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 86%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 25. The graduation rate is roughly 47%.

Acceptance Rate
86%
Retention Rate
76%
ACT Midpoint
25
Full-Time Faculty
25%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$9,574
Student–Faculty Ratio
15:1
Diversity Index
0.67
First-Gen Students
42%
Applicants
7,891
Admitted
6,775

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Mercy University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Mercy University is $22,880, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $14,072. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,974 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $19,637 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$22,880
Out-of-State
$22,880
Avg Net Price
$14,072
Median Debt
$19,637
Pell Grant Rate
50%
Federal Loan Rate
46%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$11,974
Family Income $30K–$48K
$12,598
Family Income $48K–$75K
$15,056
Family Income $110K+
$21,299

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Mercy University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Mercy University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Mercy University earn a median of $52,055, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$44,969
8 Years
$49,047
10 Years
$52,055
Debt-to-Earnings
0.38x
Earning > $25K
64%

Earnings Trajectory

$44,969 6yr $49,047 8yr $52,055 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (238)
33%
100% (238)
33%
100% (238)
33%
100% (238)
33%

How Mercy Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation47%Earnings 10yr$52KNet Price$14KRetention76%Median Debt$20KPell Grant Rate50%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$12K$0-30K$13K$30-48K$15K$48-75K$21K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%22.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%15.7%MOBILITY3.52%

College ROI Calculator

Is Mercy University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Mercy University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $14,072/year ($56,288 total). Graduates earn $52,055 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,239,111 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,182,823 (22.0× your investment). The median debt is $19,637, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 47% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$56,288
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,239,111
Net Return
$1,182,823
ROI Multiple
22.0×
Cost Per Year
$14,072
Median Debt
$19,637
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
47%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Mercy University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Mercy University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.52%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 22.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 15.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $50,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
3.52%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
15.7%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
22.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$68,884
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Mercy University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Mercy University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.40, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.40
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.04
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
3.1%
Support Ratio
0.95
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-24,172,210

Top Programs

The fields Mercy University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Mercy University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Mercy University, located in Dobbs Ferry, New York, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 86%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 25. The graduation rate is roughly 47%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Mercy University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Mercy University is $22,880, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $14,072. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,974 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $19,637 in federal student loans.

Is Mercy University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Mercy University earn a median of $52,055, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Mercy University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Mercy University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.52%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 22.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 15.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $50,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Mercy University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Mercy University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.40, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Mercy University.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys