Mercer University

www.mercer.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$33,080

10.2% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$24,197

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

66.5%

11,058 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

9,124

78.3% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

73.4%

651 Graduates

About

Mercer University is a higher education institution located in Bibb County, GA. In 2023, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Mercer University were General Business Administration & Management (217 degrees awarded), Elementary Education & Teaching (103 degrees), and Mental Health Counseling (95 degrees).

In 2023, 2,778 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Mercer University. 66.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 33.7% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,293 degrees), 1.57 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (823 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Mercer University is $33,080, which is $2,077 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Mercer University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 2,396 total borrowers.

Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Mercer University is $33,080, which is $2,077 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $24,197.

In 2023, 91% of undergraduate students attending Mercer University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 61% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$33,080

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Mercer University was $33,080. The cost of tuition at Mercer University is $2,077 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Mercer University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$24,197

2023 Value

9.55%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Mercer University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $24,197. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Mercer University grew by 9.55%.

This chart compares the average net price of Mercer University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$14,046

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Mercer University was of $14,046 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 4.52% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Mercer University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

91%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

61%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

91% of undergraduate students at Mercer University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 4.21% with respect to 2022, when 95% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Mercer University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Mercer University was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 2396 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Mercer University received 11,058 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 46.3% annual growth. Out of those 11,058 applicants, 7,349 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 66.5% acceptance rate.

There were 9,124 students enrolled at Mercer University in 2023. 32% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Mercer University has an overall enrollment yield of 13.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

66.5%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

7,349

Accepted Out of 11,058

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Mercer University was 66.5% (7,349 admissions from 11,058 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 74.7%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 46.3%, while admissions grew by 30.2%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Mercer University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

32%

Submission Percentage (2023)

328

Scores Submitted (2023)

32% of enrolled first-time students at Mercer University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Mercer University had a total enrollment of 9,124 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Mercer University is 7,145 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,979. This means that 78.3% of students enrolled at Mercer University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Mercer University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 41.4% White, 33.6% Black or African American, 7.92% Asian, 7.11% Hispanic or Latino, 3.23% Two or More Races, 0.252% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.11% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Mercer University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.8%), followed by Black or African American Female (21.3%) and White Male (19.8%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (29.2%), followed by Black or African American Female (20.8%) and White Male (17.7%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

78.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Mercer University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 9,124 students. The full-time enrollment at Mercer University is 7,145 and the part-time enrollment is 1,979. This means that 78.3% of students enrolled at Mercer University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Mercer University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

83%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Mercer University was 83%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Mercer University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Mercer University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
3,781 enrolled students
Black or African American
3,067 enrolled students
Asian
723 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Mercer University is 41.4% White, 33.6% Black or African American, 7.92% Asian, 7.11% Hispanic or Latino, 3.23% Two or More Races, 0.252% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.11% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 206 students (2.26%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 908 more women than men received degrees from Mercer University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Mercer University is white (1,293 degrees awarded). There were 1.57 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (823 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Mercer University is General Business Administration & Management (217 degrees awarded), followed by Elementary Education & Teaching (103 degrees) and Mental Health Counseling (95 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Mercer University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Legal (123 degrees awarded), Theology (40 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (42 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Mercer University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,495,275 people), Secondary school teachers (504,370 people), Software developers (468,955 people), Other managers (383,415 people), and Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (357,650 people).

The most specialized majors at Mercer University in 2023 are Legal (123 degrees awarded), Theology (40 degrees), Language & Linguistics (42 degrees), Education (307 degrees), and Engineering (192 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Mercer University are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Physicians, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at Mercer University are Legal (123 degrees awarded), Theology (40 degrees), Language & Linguistics (42 degrees), Education (307 degrees), and Engineering (192 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Mercer University are Elementary & secondary schools (2,751,698 people), Computer Systems Design (480,578 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (433,320 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (391,575 people), and Construction (328,898 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Mercer University.

Most Common (2023)

Registered Nursing
191 degrees awarded
General Engineering
138 degrees awarded
General Psychology
80 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Mercer University was Registered Nursing with 191 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Mercer University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

935

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

1,843

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 935 degrees were awarded to men at Mercer University, which is 0.507 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,843).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Mercer University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 106 degrees were awarded to men at Mercer University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.779 times less than the 136 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 178 degrees were awarded to men at Mercer University in Registered Nursing, which is 13.7 times more than the 13 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

63%

100% Completion Time

74%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 63% of students graduating from Mercer University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 74% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 74% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Mercer University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.69% of graduates (11 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
1,293 degrees awarded
Black or African American
823 degrees awarded
Asian
234 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Mercer University is white (1,293 degrees awarded). There were 1.57 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (823 degrees).

3.02% of degree recipients (84 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
799 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
631 degrees awarded
White Male
494 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Mercer University is white female (799 degrees awarded). There were 1.27 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american female (631 degrees).

Operations

Mercer University has an endowment valued at nearly $480M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 44.8M (9.34%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Mercer University had a total salary expenditure of 322M. Mercer University employs 136 Associate professors, 129 Assistant professors and 113 Professors. Most academics at Mercer University are Female Associate professor (78), Male Professor (70), and Female Assistant professor (69).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Mercer University are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 214 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 159 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 142 employees.

Endowment

$480M

2023 Endowment

6.05%

growth from 2022

Mercer University has an endowment valued at about $480M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Mercer University grew 6.05% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $46M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Mercer University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$145M

2023 Salaries

1.19%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Mercer University paid a median of $145M in salaries, which represents 44.9% of their overall expenditure ($322M) and a 1.19% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.15% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 3.18% growth between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$37.4M

Instructional Salaries

412

Number of Employees

In 2023, Mercer University paid a total of $37.4M to 412 employees working as instructors, which represents 25.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

136 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

214 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Mercer University were Associate professor with 136 employees, Assistant professor with 129 employees, and Professor with 113 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Mercer University were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 214 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 159 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 142 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Female Associate professor
Male Professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Mercer University was Female Associate professor with 78 employees, Male Professor with 70 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 69 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Mercer University.

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