Mercyhurst University

What Mercyhurst University does

Mercyhurst University is a private, non-profit Catholic institution of higher education founded in 1926 and headquartered at 501 East 38th Street, Erie, Pennsylvania, currently celebrating its Centennial and positioning itself for a "second century." It operates seven academic schools (Business & Applied Business; Health Professions; Intelligence, Computing, and Global Politics; Natural Sciences; Social & Behavioral Sciences; the Arts; and the Humanities), offering 50+ undergraduate majors, 10+ graduate programs, associate and certificate pathways, and 4+1 combined degree options. The university holds institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and a deep stack of programmatic accreditations (ARC-PA, IACBE, CSWE, ACS, NASD, NASM, CFP, ACPHA, NLN CNEA, CAATE, COARC, CAPTE, MPOETC), and fields 31 NCAA athletic teams (Lakers).

The university's economic engine is tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate enrollment — including online and 4+1 pathways, international STEM-designated programs (Applied Intelligence, Cyber Security, Data Science with OPT eligibility), and a Purple Heart / Yellow Ribbon veteran channel — supplemented by philanthropic donations (e.g., a $1M Centennial gift from Trustee Patrick Weschler '78), federal relief funding (up to $16.7M CARES Act / HEERF), and tuition remission/exchange. 99% of undergraduates receive financial aid, indicating heavy tuition discounting. Go-to-market is a traditional admissions-led model via the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions, campus visits, online applications, and targeted channels for international, transfer, adult, online, and veteran students, with a specialized B2G/B2B distribution channel through the Center for Intelligence, Research, Analysis, and Training (CIRAT) that delivers experiential learning to 150+ students annually via partnerships with national security, federal, law enforcement, and private-sector organizations.

Core academic infrastructure includes the School of Intelligence, Computing, and Global Politics, CIRAT, the Innovation Entente Lab (Beehive), Studio 26, the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture (MIAC), the Thomas J. Gamble Civic Institute, and the Mercyhurst Municipal Police Academy. The most notable technology asset is a generative AI-powered analytics platform launched in February 2026 through a partnership between CIRAT and data², in which Mercyhurst students serve as beta testers and early adopters. The institution monetizes an alumni network of 24,000+ (with 25,000+ engaged globally) through ongoing advancement, giving programs, and career-placement pathways, and maintains social, podcast (Mercyhurst Made), and earned-media channels to sustain enrollment pipeline.

Name

Mercyhurst University

Legal name

Mercyhurst University

Website

https://mercyhurst.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Mercyhurst University is a private, non-profit Catholic institution in Erie, Pennsylvania, founded in 1926, offering 50+ undergraduate majors and 10+ graduate programs across seven schools, with specialized tracks in intelligence, cyber security, and data science supported by the CIRAT research center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate degrees
• Intelligence studies
• Cyber security education

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, fees, and associated educational services.
2. Philanthropic Donations: Major gifts from alumni and supporters, such as the $1 million commitment from Patrick Weschler '78, supporting highest strategic priorities.
3. Federal Relief Funds: CARES Act funding received for institutional support, including up to $16,711,364 in federal relief funds.
4. Tuition Remission and Exchange: Educational benefits provided to employees and their dependents, including tuition remission and tuition exchange programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mercyhurst University is a private Catholic university that delivers higher education across associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degree levels through seven academic schools, including the School of Intelligence, Computing, and Global Politics. Its core offer encompasses 50+ undergraduate majors, 13+ graduate programs, graduate certificates, and specialized experiential training delivered through the Center for Intelligence, Research, Analysis, and Training (CIRAT) for 150+ students annually, alongside NCAA Division I athletics across 31 teams and an autism support initiative (AIM).

Product overview

Mercyhurst University is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs across seven schools. The university's core educational offerings include undergraduate majors (50+), graduate programs (10+), and associate/certificate programs. Key graduate programs include Applied Intelligence, Cyber Security, Data Science, Criminal Justice Administration, Nursing, and Physician Assistant Studies—several classified as STEM majors. The university operates specialized research centers including the Center for Intelligence, Research, Analysis, and Training (CIRAT), which provides experiential learning through partnerships with government agencies and private sector. Additional facilities include the Innovation Entente Lab (Beehive) and Studio 26. The institution also offers 31 athletic teams and maintains specialized program accreditations from bodies including ARC-PA, CSWE, IACBE, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lakers: The athletic teams and mascot of Mercyhurst University, representing the university's sports programs with 31 athletic teams.

Products and services

• Applied Intelligence (MS) Master's degree program in applied intelligence studies, offered online or on campus, designed for students pursuing careers in intelligence analysis and national security. Classified as a STEM-designated major.
• Cyber Security (MS) Graduate degree program in cyber security offered online, classified as a STEM-designated major eligible for extended OPT after graduation; intended for students seeking careers in information security and cyber defense.
• Data Science (MS) Master's degree program in data science offered on campus, classified as a STEM-designated major eligible for extended OPT after graduation; intended for students pursuing careers in analytics, machine learning, and data engineering.
• Physician Assistant Studies On-campus physician assistant graduate program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) with Accreditation-Continued status; prepares students for clinical practice as PAs.
• Graduate Certificate Programs Suite of online and on-campus graduate certificates spanning Applied Behavior Analysis, Applied Intelligence, Autism, Criminal Justice Administration, Cyber Security, Forensic and Biological Anthropology, Organizational Leadership, Principal Leadership, and Special Education PreK-12; designed for working professionals seeking targeted credentialing.
• Undergraduate Majors (50+) and Associate/Certificate Programs More than 50 undergraduate majors across seven schools, including the School of Business & Applied Business, School of Health Professions, School of Intelligence, Computing, and Global Politics, School of Natural Sciences, School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, School of the Arts, and School of the Humanities. Associate degrees, certificates, minors, post-baccalaureate study, and 4+1 combined bachelor's/master's programs are also offered; 99% of undergraduates receive financial aid.
• Center for Intelligence, Research, Analysis, and Training (CIRAT) Research and training center providing intelligence studies education, with a generative AI-powered analytics platform developed through partnership with data². Provides over 150 students annually with real-world experience through partnerships with national security groups, U.S. government agencies, law enforcement, and private-sector businesses.
• Mercyhurst Municipal Police Academy Law enforcement training program providing police certification under MPOETC oversight, operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercyhurst University.
• Autism Initiative Program (AIM) University-supported autism initiative providing support services for students with autism on the Mercyhurst campus, complementing the Applied Behavior Analysis graduate certificate and partnership with the Barber National Institute.
• NCAA Division I Athletics (Lakers) Intercollegiate athletics program featuring 31 varsity teams (men's, women's, and club sports) competing as the Lakers across NCAA Division I and related conferences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of undergraduates receive financial aid
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• data²coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026Mercyhurst University students served as beta testers and early adopters for a new generative AI-powered analytics platform launched through partnership between the university's Center for Intelligence Research, Analysis, and Training (CIRAT) and data². The platform was refined through student hands-on application and structured feedback during an on-campus event on February 18.
• Barber National Institute (BNI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipants in Mercyhurst's Applied Behavior Analysis graduate program interact with professionals at BNI as they learn to integrate research and conduct fieldwork in the areas of intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, and behavioral health.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Villanova University: Villanova is a large Catholic university in Pennsylvania with a broader portfolio and significantly larger enrollment. Comparable only at the level of mission and faith-affiliated positioning; serves as an aspirational peer reflecting where Mercyhurst's STEM and graduate program growth could lead.
• La Salle University: La Salle is a Catholic university in Philadelphia with overlapping program areas in business, education, and nursing. Comparable in faith-affiliated identity and in serving a mix of traditional undergraduates and graduate professional students in the Mid-Atlantic.

Direct peers

• University of Scranton: The University of Scranton is a Jesuit Catholic university in Pennsylvania serving undergraduate and graduate students with a similar professional-school structure and faith-affiliated mission. Comparable size tier and overlap in business, health sciences, and education programs.
• Point Park University: Point Park is a private Pittsburgh university with similar undergraduate enrollment size and a comparable mix of professional, graduate, and continuing-education programs. Both schools compete for Pennsylvania-based students in business, communications, and pre-professional tracks.
• Duquesne University: Duquesne is a Catholic research university in Pittsburgh offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in similar professional fields (pharmacy, nursing, business, education). It is one of the closest faith-affiliated comparables for Mercyhurst's academic portfolio in the region.
• Penn State Behrend: Penn State Behrend is a public regional campus located in Erie, PA, directly competing with Mercyhurst for the same local and regional student pool. Both schools serve comparable undergraduate and continuing-education needs at similar price-sensitive tiers.
• Saint Vincent College: Saint Vincent is a small Catholic liberal-arts university in Pennsylvania with comparable enrollment scale, tuition dependence, and faith-affiliated positioning. It mirrors Mercyhurst's mix of undergraduates, graduate programs, and traditional-age residential student profile.
• King's College: King's College is a small Catholic institution in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania with similar enrollment scale and faith-affiliated mission. Like Mercyhurst, it emphasizes traditional-age undergraduates, professional graduate programs, and athletics.
• Gannon University: Gannon is a Catholic university in Erie, PA, sharing both geography and faith-based mission with Mercyhurst. The two compete head-to-head for the same regional undergraduate pool and offer overlapping graduate programs in health, business, and education.
• Robert Morris University: Robert Morris is a private Pittsburgh university with overlapping professional graduate programs and a similar mix of on-campus and online students. Comparable in size, tuition positioning, and regional recruitment footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mercyhurstu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/HurstU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mercyhurst-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/mercyhurstu

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mercyhurst University