Mercy College of Ohio
Toledo, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 93.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 73/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Mercy College of Ohio is a small Catholic health sciences college in Toledo with 939 students. The ROI score of 73 (Fair Value) is driven almost entirely by nursing: average six-year earnings of $46,000, a 7-year payback period, and a 56% completion rate. The completion rate is the primary concern. Three programs are listed in the data: Registered Nursing, Health Services, and Health and Medical Administrative Services. This is essentially a health sciences pipeline school, not a traditional liberal arts college. Students who complete nursing graduate into Toledo's hospital system with strong earnings prospects; those who don't finish face the typical debt burden without the credential.
Mercy College of Ohio
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $19,470/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $19,470/yr |
| Average net price | $17,989/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $71,956 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $65,409 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $46,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,834 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $221 |
| Estimated payback period | 7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 939 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $19,470/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $17,989/year, or roughly $71,956 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $19,867/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,735/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,834, which works out to about $221 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($46,000) and comes to 0.45, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $19,867 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,037 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,567 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,291 |
| $110,001+ | $19,735 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 actually pay $19,867 per year - more than the $30-48k bracket ($13,037). This inverted aid structure is unusual and means the school's lowest-income students face the highest costs. For a Pell-eligible student, this is a significant concern.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30-48k bracket pays $13,037 - the lowest cost band at the school. The $48-75k range climbs to $11,567 (a drop, which may reflect data anomalies or specific aid packages). The $75-110k bracket jumps to $21,291. The cost structure is uneven and students should model multiple scenarios.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families (over $110k) pay $19,735 per year - lower than the lowest-income bracket. This unusual pattern may reflect small sample sizes in the federal data. Net price at this level is about $79,000 over four years. For nursing specifically, the ROI math works even at this cost level.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Mercy College of Ohio with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $75,648 | C+ |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $80,420 | C |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $66,015 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is the anchor program at Mercy College of Ohio, producing 113 graduates annually into Toledo's healthcare labor market. Early-career median pay of $73,010 and four-year median of $75,648 are solid - reflecting Ohio nursing wages that benefit from union activity and hospital competition for qualified nurses. Median debt of $33,250 and a ratio of 0.455 (C+ grade) are higher than ideal, meaning graduates are managing a real debt load on good but not spectacular earnings. NCLEX pass rate data (not available here) is the critical quality indicator for nursing programs - students should ask for this before enrolling.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Health Services produces 45 graduates annually. Early-career pay of $65,046 rising to $80,420 at year four reflects a program with solid outcomes despite the C-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.554. This program covers a range of health administration and applied health roles - graduates often enter management, case coordination, and compliance positions in healthcare systems. The Toledo metro market is dominated by major health systems that provide stable employment but limit salary competition.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health and Medical Administrative Services graduates 21 students per year. Early-career pay of $53,429 and four-year median of $66,015 (D grade, ratio 0.778) with $41,582 in median debt flags this as the weakest ROI program at the college. Administrative healthcare roles pay less than clinical roles, and graduates carry disproportionate debt.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 71.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Mercy College of Ohio’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 93.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 380-500 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 410-510 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-20 |
| Enrollment | 939 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,613 |
Mercy College of Ohio admits 93% of applicants - open access in practice. Admission is not the barrier; program completion is. The ACT range of 15-20 reflects a population that may face academic preparation challenges in a clinically demanding curriculum.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy College of Ohio (this school) | 73 | $17,989 | $65,409 |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 77 | $11,704 | $58,170 |
| Ursinus College | 72 | $30,536 | $73,721 |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences | 70 | $26,924 | $62,234 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Mercy College admits 93% of applicants, with an ACT range of 15-20 and SAT math 380-500 - broadly open access. The Pell rate of 33% indicates moderate economic diversity. Students who thrive here are committed to healthcare careers, particularly nursing. The small enrollment means clinical placements and faculty relationships are more accessible than at large programs. Completion rate data (56%) suggests real attrition - likely students who cannot meet the clinical or academic demands of nursing programs.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Mercy College of Ohio is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $17,989 a year after aid ($71,956 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $65,409 a decade out, the cost takes about 7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $20,834 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $46,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Mercy College of Ohio: Common Questions
Is Mercy College of Ohio worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Mercy College of Ohio is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 73/100 on our ROI scale. At $17,989 a year after aid ($71,956 over four years) against $65,409 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Mercy College of Ohio cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $17,989 a year, or roughly $71,956 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Mercy College of Ohio graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $65,409 ten years after enrolling, roughly $23,609 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Mercy College of Ohio?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 7 years for Mercy College of Ohio. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Mercy College of Ohio graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,834, against average earnings of $46,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Mercy College of Ohio?
The six-year graduation rate is 55.8%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.