Mercer University
A good fit for students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. solid earnings of $58,200 within 10 years; financial aid brings net price below sticker.
About This School
Mercer University is a private nonprofit institution located in Macon, Georgia with approximately 4,500 undergraduate students enrolled. Mercer University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 69%. The average net price after financial aid is $23,847 per year. The graduation rate is 70%, and the typical graduate earns $58,200 within 10 years of enrollment.
Mercer University is a private research university in Macon, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1833 as Mercer Institute and gaining university status in 1837, it is the oldest private university in the state and enrolls more than 9,000 students in 12 colleges and schools. Mercer is a member of the Georgia Research Alliance. It is classified as a "R2: Doctoral Universities — High research activity".
This is a solid option for students who want a private university experience without the hyper-competitive admissions pressure — a 66% acceptance rate and $22,350 average net price make it genuinely accessible. The 73% graduation rate is decent but not exceptional, meaning roughly 1 in 4 students who start here don't finish, so it's worth asking what support systems exist for your specific major. The payoff looks reasonable: median earnings of $58,200 a decade out, paired with a relatively modest $17,655 in median debt, suggests students aren't leaving buried in loans they can't manage.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 20% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Mercer University graduates earn most above the national rate in Business Administration, Management and Operations ($75,835 vs $68,257 nationally), and most below it in Finance and Financial Management Services ($66,036 vs $83,343).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 191 | $85,030 | $88,910 | −$3,880 |
| Engineering, General | 138 | $88,413 | $89,359 | −$946 |
| Psychology, General | 80 | $51,723 | $50,706 | +$1,017 |
| Public Health | 62 | $60,401 | $58,808 | +$1,593 |
| Biology, General | 62 | $59,570 | $57,214 | +$2,356 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 59 | $51,513 | $47,382 | +$4,131 |
| Marketing | 46 | $71,629 | $69,303 | +$2,326 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 40 | $58,127 | $55,000 | +$3,127 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 39 | $75,835 | $68,257 | +$7,578 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 36 | $75,529 | $76,194 | −$665 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 33 | $66,036 | $83,343 | −$17,307 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 25 | $52,530 | $56,359 | −$3,829 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (4,500 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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Georgia Military College
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See How Colleges Compare
Mercer University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Mercer University?
Mercer University has an acceptance rate of 69%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Mercer University hard to get into?
Mercer University is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of 69%. Solid grades and a complete application give most applicants a real shot.
How much does Mercer University cost?
The average net price at Mercer University is about $23,847 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Mercer University?
Mercer University has a graduation rate of 70%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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