Mercyhurst University

Mercyhurst University logo
#6334 / #1667
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#1114
Most Desirable School
Catholic liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, U.S.

Mercyhurst University at a Glance

U.S. influence rank
#1667
Acceptance rate (fall 2024)
81%
Tuition and fees (2025–26)
$47,270
Graduation rate
61%
Undergraduates (fall 2024)
2,191

Reviewed by , Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error

About Mercyhurst University

According to Wikipedia, Mercyhurst University is a private Roman Catholic university in Erie, Pennsylvania. History On September 20, 1926, Mercyhurst College opened its doors just a few blocks away from the city's southern boundary. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy of the Diocese of Erie, who were led by Mother M. Borgia Egan, who became the first president of Mercyhurst College. The college received its charter on October 5, 1928.

Mercyhurst University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceRetention RateGraduation Rate
3,50081%80%61%

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.

How Much Does Mercyhurst University Cost To Attend?

Tuition and fees (in-state)
$47,270
Average Net Price by Family Income (2024–25)
IncomeAverage Net Cost
0 - 30K$24,429
30K - 48K$31,142
48K - 75K$32,834
75K - 110K$38,590
110K+$30,534

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.

How Much Do Mercyhurst University Graduates Make?

Ten years after starting college, former Mercyhurst University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $55,508 a year, and 93% of those not still in school are working.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.

Mercyhurst University's Demographics

Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
2,9652,534431

Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.

Where is Mercyhurst University?

Mercyhurst University is located at 501 E 38th St, Erie, PA 16546.

How Safe is Mercyhurst University?

Like every college that receives federal student aid, Mercyhurst University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.

Relative to its enrollment, Mercyhurst University has a violent crime rate of 0.27% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Erie has a violent crime rate of 0.38% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 2.00%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.

What Is Mercyhurst University Known For?

Mercyhurst University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:

Mercyhurst University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Each rank compares how much Mercyhurst University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence

Mathematics
#2211
World Rank
#2256
Historical Rank
#533
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #533 in the U.S. and #2211 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.

math Degrees
Anthropology
#2272
World Rank
#2284
Historical Rank
#731
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #731 in the U.S. and #2272 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.

anthropology Degrees
Literature
#2413
World Rank
#2461
Historical Rank
#801
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #801 in the U.S. and #2413 worldwide for influence in Literature.

literature Degrees
Criminal Justice
#1770
World Rank
#1775
Historical Rank
#929
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #929 in the U.S. and #1770 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.

criminal-justice Degrees
Philosophy
#3752
World Rank
#3793
Historical Rank
#1130
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1130 in the U.S. and #3752 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.

philosophy Degrees
Business
#4235
World Rank
#4237
Historical Rank
#1141
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1141 in the U.S. and #4235 worldwide for influence in Business.

business Degrees
History
#4282
World Rank
#4295
Historical Rank
#1333
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1333 in the U.S. and #4282 worldwide for influence in History.

history Degrees
Communications
#5253
World Rank
#5268
Historical Rank
#1395
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1395 in the U.S. and #5253 worldwide for influence in Communications.

communications Degrees
Political Science
#6258
World Rank
#6264
Historical Rank
#1486
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1486 in the U.S. and #6258 worldwide for influence in Political Science.

political-science Degrees
Medical
#5576
World Rank
#5578
Historical Rank
#1619
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1619 in the U.S. and #5576 worldwide for influence in Medical.

medicine Degrees
Chemistry
#6161
World Rank
#6167
Historical Rank
#1631
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1631 in the U.S. and #6161 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.

chemistry Degrees
Nursing
#4710
World Rank
#4710
Historical Rank
#1865
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1865 in the U.S. and #4710 worldwide for influence in Nursing.

nursing Degrees
Earth Sciences
#6543
World Rank
#6557
Historical Rank
#1866
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1866 in the U.S. and #6543 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.

earth-science Degrees
Sociology
#5657
World Rank
#5660
Historical Rank
#1904
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1904 in the U.S. and #5657 worldwide for influence in Sociology.

sociology Degrees
Religious Studies
#9017
World Rank
#9028
Historical Rank
#1997
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #1997 in the U.S. and #9017 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.

religious-studies-hub Degrees
Education
#7778
World Rank
#7781
Historical Rank
#2069
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #2069 in the U.S. and #7778 worldwide for influence in Education.

education Degrees
Computer Science
#8110
World Rank
#8114
Historical Rank
#2079
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #2079 in the U.S. and #8110 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.

computer-science Degrees
Social Work
#5634
World Rank
#5634
Historical Rank
#2107
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #2107 in the U.S. and #5634 worldwide for influence in Social Work.

social-work Degrees
Psychology
#5848
World Rank
#5858
Historical Rank
#2195
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #2195 in the U.S. and #5848 worldwide for influence in Psychology.

psychology Degrees
Biology
#9036
World Rank
#9053
Historical Rank
#2251
USA Rank

Mercyhurst University ranks #2251 in the U.S. and #9036 worldwide for influence in Biology.

biology Degrees

Who Are Mercyhurst University's Most Influential Alumni?

Mercyhurst University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Criminal Justice, Mathematics, and Anthropology. Here are some of Mercyhurst University's most famous alumni:

Mary Celine Fasenmyer
An American mathematician.
Luke Ravenstahl
An American politician.
David Lee
An American Baseball player, born 1973.
Vilma Tanskanen
A Finnish ice hockey player.

Who Are Mercyhurst University's Most Influential Faculty?

David Dausey
David Dausey
A Medical professor.
Lauren Williams
Lauren Williams
An American mathematician.