Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Illinois College, Mount Mercy University, Madonna University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | IllinoisJacksonville, IL | Mount MercyCedar Rapids, IA | Madonna UniversityLivonia, MI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 78.2% | 82.5% | 63.4% |
| SAT middle 50% | 883–1180 | Not reportedMount Mercy University did not report an SAT score range for its most recent entering class. | 880–1080 |
| Average net price | $18,29838.4% on Pell grants | $20,16826.7% on Pell grants | $17,75530.4% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $38,676Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $40,878Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $28,440Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 63.8% | 57.7% | 60.0% |
| First-year retention | 70.6% | 72.8% | 71.5% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 38.4% | 26.7% | 30.4% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $52,575 | $60,787 | $59,058 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,565 | $23,699 | $23,000 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 11:1 | 13:1 | 10:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 930 | 1,107 | 1,632 |
| Consensus percentile | 46Lower is better | 46Lower is better | 46Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 22 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 36 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 27 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Illinois | Mount Mercy | Madonna University |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #114 of 210Liberal arts collegesNational Liberal Arts Colleges · 2026 | #60 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 | #82 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Washington Monthly | #768 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #1029 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #861 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Niche | #838 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #852 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #787 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Listed | Listed | Listed |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students comparing Illinois College on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Mount Mercy University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Madonna University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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