I cannot take you to the Misericordia University campus in Dallas, Pennsylvania. But I can put in front of you what the federal government records about it, year after year, in the system to which every college and university in the United States is required to report. Admissions numbers, cost numbers, graduation numbers, and information about who studies there. It is not the whole story. It is the first piece you need before your child gets into the car.
What Kind of School It Is, in a Few Words
Misericordia University is a private, nonprofit, four-year institution located in Dallas, Pennsylvania, in Luzerne County and the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Its census classification places it in a suburb: inside the urbanized area, but outside the principal city. If your child were thinking about living at home, this is not enough information—drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the time your child would have class. The time shown on the map is almost never the real time.
The Carnegie system, which classifies the nation's colleges and universities by what they do, places Misericordia among doctoral and professional institutions, within the family of doctoral schools. That does not tell you how much research your child will encounter in the first year—that family groups together categories that differ greatly from one another. What describes its size and student life more precisely is that it is a small, four-year, primarily residential school. At the time of that classification, between one-quarter and one-half of its undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, and at least half studied full time.
In its access profile, Carnegie places it in the “inclusive” category—a label that groups together two types of schools: those that did not report admissions scores and those that did report them but showed broad access. The profile does not distinguish which of the two applies here. And if you ever see an old Misericordia listing from 2015, do not be surprised if it says something different: the classification changed.
Another fact worth understanding from the outset is that Misericordia University has none of three federal designations—it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in this directory, 138 have at least one of the three. Not having them says nothing about which students this school serves today or how your child will feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations currently exist, and confirm by speaking with someone who already studies there.
The Community’s Actual Size
Misericordia had an enrollment of 2,107 in the most recent official count—a mid-sized enrollment compared with similar schools: private, four-year institutions with selective admissions. It falls near the middle, neither among the large schools nor among the small ones.
But that number conceals something worth separating: undergraduate enrollment is 1,670 and graduate enrollment is 437. If your child is entering an undergraduate program, the number that matters is 1,670, not the total—a substantial portion of this community has already completed a bachelor’s degree and has returned for graduate study.
Official data show the following about the composition of the undergraduate community:
| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino students | 6 out of every 100 |
| Students ages 25 to 64 | 14 out of every 100 |
| Women | 64 out of every 100 |
Six out of every hundred is a small minority, and compared with the 941 selective private schools in this census that report the data, Misericordia falls below the group’s midpoint. That does not make the school bad, just as a larger share would not make it good—it is simply a description of who is enrolled today. If your child will be one of the few, ask in writing which student groups and support services exist, and try to speak with a Latino student who is already there. The number you have is for the school as a whole; your child’s experience in a specific program may look different.
One gap worth naming: where new students came from—which states and which countries—is not reported for this school in the most recent cycle. The information is unavailable and is not estimated.
How the Academic Year Works and What the School Recognizes of What Your Child Already Knows
The calendar follows semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. Nothing unusual there.
What is worth examining carefully are two pathways the school reported for allowing your child’s prior learning to count for credit. It accepts credit from AP exams. It also accepts what IPEDS calls “credit for life experience”—learning gained through independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, licenses or certifications, or military or government opportunities. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolling high school students in college courses for credit through a formal program.
Here is the hard truth: the school’s reporting of these two pathways does not mean your child will automatically receive credit through them. It does not say what AP scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward the specific program your child is considering. Request a written equivalency evaluation before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
What It Specializes In
The total number of bachelor’s degrees Misericordia awarded in a recent year was 446. Of that total, 258—58 out of every 100, more than half—were in health professions. That is a strong concentration, with nearly the entire school pointing in the same direction.
That does not tell you whether it is the best option for the field your child is considering or whether that particular program is strong there. Ask about the exact program: request the curriculum, the number who graduated from it last year, and how easy it is to get the classes needed to stay on schedule.
The Student-Faculty Ratio
The official ratio is 10 students for each full-time-equivalent faculty member—a low figure that falls below the midpoint among the 941 similar schools in this census. It is an aggregate ratio, not the actual size of a classroom: by itself, it does not demonstrate that more attention is available to each student, and the federal file does not say how it was calculated or what the typical size of a first-year class is.
Structured Academic Opportunities
The institution reports offering study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only during evenings or weekends, teacher-certification preparation below the bachelor’s level, and state approval for initial teacher-certification programs. These pathways exist on paper; confirm with the school which ones apply to your child’s specific program.
Getting Into Misericordia: What They Require and How Likely a Yes Is
Misericordia does not have open admissions. It reviews certain components before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations reported by the government, excluding standardized tests and legacy status, it marks three as required: the high school record, high school GPA, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies.
If your child attended high school outside the United States or studied in Spanish, ask now whether that exam is required and what would qualify for an exemption. This is the kind of requirement families discover late, and here it is marked as mandatory when applicable.
Other components are not required, but they are considered if submitted: class rank, completion of the college-preparatory coursework the university requires, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a demonstration of competencies, and work experience. The report does not say how much weight each one carries in the final decision.
There is no charge for the undergraduate application: the published fee is $0.
How Selective It Really Is
In the most recent cycle, Misericordia received 2,508 first-time applications and offered admission to 2,129—85 out of every 100. That is a high acceptance rate. Compared with the 942 selective private schools in this census, it falls on the less selective side: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, accepted an equal or smaller percentage of their applicants. Of every 100 who applied, 85 received a yes.
That does not mean what follows will be easy. It is a school-wide figure from a single cycle. It does not say how much attendance will cost, how many students finish, or whether the specific program your child wants has an additional screening process of its own. Those three questions must be asked separately.
From the Acceptance Letter to Enrollment
Here is a figure many families do not expect: of every 100 admitted applicants, only 19 ultimately enrolled at Misericordia that fall. The other 81 had a place there and did not take it. That is a typical share compared with similar schools—neither high nor low, but near the middle.
Do not read that as a mark against the school. The federal record does not say why each person made that decision—many surely had other admission letters in hand and chose something else. What it does tell you is useful: what others decided does not predict what the school will offer you. Wait for your own letter with the net price—the real amount it would cost your family—before deciding whether this school stays on the list.
About the SAT and ACT
Misericordia reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in its admissions decisions, even if applicants submit them. This checkbox does not say whether the scores are used for scholarships, course placement, or other purposes—ask that separately and directly of the admissions office.
About Transfers
In the most recent count, the number of undergraduate students who arrived at Misericordia for the first time after studying at another institution was 62. This is a count of people, not a share, and compared with similar schools it falls in the lower half—although that also depends on the size of each school. How many credits Misericordia accepted for those 62 is a separate question to ask the university directly. The transfer-out rate—how many students who entered here eventually transferred elsewhere—is not reported for this school in this file. That does not mean no one transfers; it means the data are unavailable.
Cost: What Is Published and What Is Actually Paid
At Misericordia University, the average net price was $19,361 among first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000; that group had a student count of 60. Among the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, the average was $21,763 and the student count was 43; among those with EFC family income above $110,000, the average was $29,029 and the student count was 132. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band, with a student count of 60, and the average for the highest-income band, with a student count of 132, is $9,668. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $25,090.
$19,361 was the average net price for families in the lowest-income band during the 2022-23 academic year. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth requesting the financial-aid letter.
None of these figures is a price quote for your child. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The figure that matters is the financial-aid letter sent to you. In the meantime, use the net-price calculator on the school’s website.
Grants, Pell, and Loans: The Money Map
Among Misericordia’s degree-seeking students, 80 out of every 100 received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. That is a broad share, although compared with similar schools it falls in the quartile where grants and scholarships reach fewer students. Among recipients, the yearly average was $22,225—real money, but not a price: what determines how much you pay is the amount remaining after aid, and that amount must be requested from each school.
The Pell Grant—federal aid for families with demonstrated financial need—reached 20 out of every 100 students.
Now for the loan portion, where it is best not to sugarcoat anything: among Misericordia undergraduates, the share who received a federal loan was 74 out of every 100 in the most recent year reported. That is a majority, and compared with similar schools, Misericordia falls on the high side—seven out of ten similar schools had an equal or smaller share of students with debt.
Among loan recipients, the annual average was $8,399. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years, the total would be around $33,596, not including interest. That number is decided before the first signature, not at the end of the road.
Financing with debt is common here. That does not determine whether your child will need it—that comes from your child’s own financial-aid letter and the difference between the net price and what your family can contribute. And keep in mind what this average does not include: it covers only federal loans in the student’s name for a single year. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing for, bank debt, or credit-card debt. Nor is it the total debt someone has upon graduation—for that, you would need to add all four years, and that figure is not in this report.
The institution also reports offering an installment tuition-payment plan as an additional way to manage the cost.
Campus Life, Learning Format, and Available Support
Misericordia has its own housing. It does not require all first-time, full-time students to live there—but that does not mean no program or class year has such a requirement. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies depending on the plan selected. The reported maximum housing capacity is 848 students. The existence of a room does not guarantee your child a bed: request in writing the current year’s rate, the housing-application deadline, and whether housing is guaranteed or your child would be placed on a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC, the school indicated that opportunities are available in two branches—Army and Air Force. Navy is not marked. Being listed in the report is not the same as being accepted, nor does it say whether the program takes place on this campus or another one. Ask about it by name before building your child’s plan around it.
In athletics, Misericordia competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA. It reports membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. That is the school’s membership, not a guaranteed place for your child—contact the coach for the sport your child is interested in, ask whether space is available, which division they compete in, and whether that sport awards athletic scholarships.
In terms of learning format, Misericordia offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but it is the exception rather than the rule: the share of undergraduate students taking all their classes at a distance is only 4 out of every 100. The other 96 take at least one class in person. The school also reports having at least one complete program that can be completed entirely through distance education—confirm the exact level and field if that interests you.
The library operates with paid staff, and its annual spending exceeds the $100,000 threshold tracked by the government—it has physical and digital collections and participates in interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not mean it has the specific databases needed for your child’s program; ask about those by program name.
Among the services and support the institution reports are combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon program completion, a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, and a published webpage for disability services. The reporting of these services does not say how many people use them or how effective they are for each student—ask about them and verify them in person.
Do They Stay? Do They Graduate? The Long-Term Numbers
For the cohort of first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students, the entering class numbered 367, and the number who met the official retention criterion was 292—equivalent to 80 out of every 100—either because they were still enrolled there or because they had already graduated. Compared with similar schools, Misericordia falls just above the group’s midpoint: neither among the best nor among the worst.
That figure does not say what happened to the remaining 20 percent. And something important: not returning to Misericordia is not the same as dropping out of higher education. In this profile, someone who transferred to another college and continues studying there is counted the same way as someone who stopped studying altogether. The data do not distinguish between the two situations.
Regarding graduation, IPEDS tracked a cohort of 435 first-time, full-time students who entered in 2017. After six years, 301 had graduated from Misericordia—69 out of every 100. Under the four-year timeframe, the figure falls to 59 out of every 100—a gap of 10 points between the two timeframes, which simply reflects that some students need a little more time. Compared with similar schools, Misericordia falls above the group’s midpoint on this measure.
Be clear about whom this measure follows: only first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students. It does not include transfer students or students who began part time. The available data do not make it possible to reconstruct fully what happened to the rest of the cohort—a gap in the data is not the same as zero and does not justify assuming transfer, a pause, or withdrawal.
There is also a third, longer-term view. In an annual cohort with a student count of 581 who entered Misericordia between July 2015 and June 2016—combining first-time students and students with prior experience, as well as full-time and part-time students—58 out of every 100 already held a degree or certificate from this school as of August 2023. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was virtually identical: 59 out of every 100.
If instead you look only at the first-time, full-time students within that same cohort—the group most comparable to the one used for the six-year rate—the share rises to 72 out of every 100. Changing whom you count changes the number.
Of the remainder, 22 out of every 100 still appeared without a credential from this institution, although the data neither confirm whether they remained enrolled at the exact reporting date nor rule out that they had graduated elsewhere. The share with unknown enrollment status was 20 out of every 100, representing 119 people. Unknown means the report was unable to determine what happened to them; it does not mean they had stopped studying.
What This Map Cannot Tell You
Everything above is real, verifiable, and comes directly from what Misericordia University reported to the federal government. But it is only one piece of the plan, not the complete plan.
These numbers describe the school as a whole, in specific years, using particular groups and denominators—they do not describe the individual experience your child would have or predict the outcome. We do not know what your child wants to study, whether living far from home would be a good fit, or how much your family can contribute after seeing the actual financial-aid letter. You know those things, and that part of the map is one you build together: what your child wants and has accomplished so far, and what the family can and is willing to pay.
You now know in detail one of the three pieces needed to decide. Put it together with the other two. A real plan comes from that combination, not from this profile alone.
Source note: The information in this article comes from data reported by Misericordia University to the U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Misericordia University or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public information that has already been reported.