2026 data College Scorecard official source

Affordable Alternatives to Mercy College of Ohio

Open-data reference.

We found 8 schools structurally similar to Mercy College of Ohio that cost less. 8 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.

Your School

Mercy College of Ohio

Toledo, Ohio · Private Nonprofit

$17,989
Net Price
$65,409
Median Earnings (10yr)
93.2%
Acceptance Rate
49.5%
Graduation Rate

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to Mercy College of Ohio

Mercy College of Ohio posts an average net price of $17,989 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with Mercy College of Ohio across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 8 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.

The maximum possible savings across this list is $8,669, achieved by California State University-East Bay at $9,320. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 8 of the 8 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above Mercy College of Ohio’s $65,409, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $75,017.

The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.

Similar Schools That Cost Less

8
Alternatives Found
$8,669
Max Savings
8
Better Value Options
69%
Best Match

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (USD). Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Top 5 1. Baptist Health Sciences Univ $73k 2. Mount Carmel College of Nurs $75k 3. Marion S Whelan School of Nu $71k 4. Trinity Health System School $72k 5. California State University- $71k Compared to Mercy College of Ohio: $65k.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.

School Net Price Savings Earnings (10yr) Graduation Similarity
Baptist Health Sciences University
Memphis, TN · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$11,212 -$6,777 $72,529 46.1% 69%
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Columbus, OH · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$10,420 -$7,569 $75,103 64.1% 53%
Marion S Whelan School of Nursing of Geneva General Hospital
Geneva, NY · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$14,370 -$3,619 $70,771 N/A 50%
Trinity Health System School of Nursing
Steubenville, OH · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$9,825 -$8,164 $71,660 N/A 49%
California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA · Public Better Value
$9,320 -$8,669 $71,401 46.7% 44%
Chamberlain University-Indiana
Indianapolis, IN · Private For-Profit Better Value
$16,149 -$1,840 $92,405 N/A 42%
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus
Waterbury, CT · Public Better Value
$10,875 -$7,114 $73,997 56.1% 42%
Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR · Public Better Value
$15,706 -$2,283 $72,273 56.3% 41%

How We Match Schools

Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.

Only schools with a lower average net price than Mercy College of Ohio are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cheaper alternatives to Mercy College of Ohio?
We found 8 schools similar to Mercy College of Ohio that cost less. The closest match is Baptist Health Sciences University with 69% similarity and a net price of $11,212.
What is the ROI of attending Mercy College of Ohio?
Mercy College of Ohio has an average net price of $17,989. Graduates earn a median of $65,409 ten years after enrollment. The earnings-to-cost ratio is 3.6x.
Are there schools with better outcomes than Mercy College of Ohio for less money?
Yes — 8 of 8 alternatives offer comparable or higher median earnings at a lower net price. Baptist Health Sciences University costs $11,212 (saving $6,777) with median earnings of $72,529.
What is the cheapest alternative to Mercy College of Ohio?
The most affordable similar school is California State University-East Bay at $9,320, saving $8,669 compared to Mercy College of Ohio. It has a 44% similarity score.
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
The 8 alternatives have an average median earnings of $75,017 compared to Mercy College of Ohio's $65,409. On average, alternatives match or exceed this school's earnings. Individual results vary — check the comparison table above.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.