Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Des Moines, Iowa
98.8% Acceptance Rate
Mercy College of Health Sciences — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
98.8%Acceptance Rate
3.12Avg GPA
$30,844Annual Cost
$62,234Grad Salary
33.9%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
98.8%
Avg GPA
3.12
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Need-Based Aid
33.9% receive Pell
Mercy College of Health Sciences is a private, specialized institution in Iowa that focuses on nursing, healthcare, and allied health degrees. Admissions prioritize professional readiness and the ability to handle a rigorous, practical, and fast-paced healthcare curriculum. The college seeks goal-oriented candidates who are prepared to complete their training efficiently and enter the workforce with immediately applicable, industry-ready clinical skills.
A successful application will highlight a student's maturity, professional focus, and commitment to the healthcare field. Because the college emphasizes practical, hands-on clinical training, showcasing any relevant volunteer or work experience in a healthcare setting is highly beneficial. The admissions team looks for candidates who have a clear career plan and are motivated by the goal of obtaining professional licensure, making a serious, industrious, and career-minded attitude their most important asset.
Mercy College of Health Sciences Acceptance Rate
Mercy College of Health Sciences runs an open-access admission policy — with a 98.8% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 98.8% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.12 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.92 – 3.11
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.67
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Mercy College of Health Sciences GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Mercy College of Health Sciences is 3.12. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 2.82–3.12 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.32–3.52.Mercy College of Health Sciences GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.12 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.92 – 3.11
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.72 – 2.91
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.71
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Mercy College of Health Sciences, founded in 1899, is the only private Catholic college in central Iowa and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) plus numerous programmatic accreditors.
- The college is affiliated with MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center (formerly Mercy Medical Center ? Des Moines), a currently operating hospital and one of Iowa's largest employers - distinct from the unrelated, now-closed Mercy Iowa City hospital.
- First-time college students generally need a high school GPA of 2.25 or higher for general admission; professional (limited-enrollment) program admission is separate and competitive.
- Evening and weekend nursing class sections are offered specifically for students balancing work or other commitments.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Mercy College of Health Sciences
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Mercy College of Health Sciences's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Mercy College of Health Sciences Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Mercy College of Health Sciences is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Mercy College of Health Sciences Without SAT or ACT?
Mercy College of Health Sciences considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Mercy College of Health Sciences
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Mercy College of Health Sciences's open-access model means the real strategic decisions happen after enrollment: course planning, advising, and whether to transfer later.
Don't confuse Mercy College's hospital affiliate with the unrelated, now-closed Mercy Iowa City
Mercy College is affiliated with MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, a large, currently operating hospital - not Mercy Iowa City, a separate and unrelated hospital that went bankrupt and was sold to the University of Iowa in 2023. If your research into "Mercy" hospital news in Iowa raised concerns about the college's stability, verify directly with Mercy College which hospital system it's actually affiliated with, since the two "Mercy" names in Iowa refer to entirely different organizations with very different current statuses.
Complete liberal arts and science prerequisites at Mercy College before applying to a professional program
Mercy College explicitly recommends completing general liberal arts and science coursework at the college itself before applying to a professional (limited-enrollment) program, since professional program admission is competitive and selection favors the most qualified applicants. Enroll in Mercy's own gen-ed courses first rather than transferring them in from elsewhere, since doing coursework on-site may strengthen your standing when the professional program committee reviews applicants already familiar with Mercy's academic environment.
Use the direct hospital pipeline as your primary post-graduation job search strategy
Mercy College's close affiliation with MercyOne Des Moines and other Des Moines-area healthcare facilities gives graduates a genuine, direct pathway to employment, with many students reporting job offers within the Mercy/CHI Health network before or shortly after graduation. Build relationships with your clinical site supervisors specifically at MercyOne facilities during your program, since these connections are explicitly described as a major hiring pipeline rather than a generic "networking opportunity."
Apply for evening/weekend nursing sections if you're a working adult
Mercy College explicitly offers evening and weekend nursing class sections designed for students balancing full-time work or other commitments - a real scheduling accommodation, not a marketing claim. If a traditional daytime schedule doesn't work for you, request the evening/weekend track specifically when you apply, since it's a named, structured option rather than something you'd need to negotiate individually.
Expert Insight:
A specific and easy-to-miss research trap is conflating Mercy College's Des Moines hospital affiliate (MercyOne Des Moines, which is operating normally) with the unrelated Mercy Iowa City hospital that went bankrupt in 2023 - these are two entirely separate "Mercy" organizations in Iowa, and a prospective student who found news about the Iowa City bankruptcy and wrongly assumed it affected Mercy College's home hospital system could mistakenly rule out a stable, operating institution.
Mercy College of Health Sciences Profile
Full Name
Mercy College of Health Sciences
City
Des Moines
State
Iowa
ZIP Code
50309-1239
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Mercy College of Health Sciences Degree Worth It?
Mercy College of Health Sciences offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes — the figures below are a starting point.
The average household income among admitted students is $62,900, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.71%.
How much does a degree from Mercy College of Health Sciences Cost?
The sticker price is $30,844/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
33.9% of students receive a Pell Grant and 63.8% take federal loans at Mercy College of Health Sciences — file your FAFSA early and list Mercy College of Health Sciences as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Mercy College of Health Sciences Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $62,234 — about 53% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Degree Programs at Mercy College of Health Sciences
Bachelor Degree Programs
Associate Degree Programs
UG Certificate or Diploma Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Mercy College of Health Sciences Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Mercy College of Health Sciences run about $62,234 a year.
Mercy College of Health Sciences costs roughly $30,844 a year — most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
About 33.9% receive a Pell Grant at Mercy College of Health Sciences — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 98.8%, Mercy College of Health Sciences's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Mercy College of Health Sciences average a 3.12 GPA.
Mercy College of Health Sciences doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 2.82 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.72, Mercy College of Health Sciences becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.