Mercer University
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Why Mercer University Matters
Mercer University is a private research university in Macon, GA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong research base, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 4,500
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Engineering
Why students choose Mercer University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 69% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1160–1350. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $23,847 a year after grants and scholarships — 39% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $58,354 ten years after enrolling — 43% above the typical college, against $24,199 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.1% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 24% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.51 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Mercer University has an acceptance rate of 69%, making it accessible for a diverse group of students. This figure highlights the university's commitment to welcoming a broad range of applicants who can thrive in its academic environment. With an enrollment of about 4,500 students, Mercer provides a community where students can engage closely with faculty and peers.
According to data from Opportunity Insights, Mercer University is positioned to support upward mobility for its students. Though specific mobility rates are not available, the institution's strong graduation rate of 72% suggests that many students successfully complete their degrees. Graduates can expect to earn an average of $58,354 within ten years of finishing their studies, indicating a solid return on investment for their education.
The cost of attendance at Mercer is approximately $23,847, with median student debt sitting at $24,199. This financial landscape means that while students may take on debt, they also have the potential for good earnings after graduation. Students who thrive here often pursue programs in health professions, business, biology, and engineering, finding solid career pathways in growing fields.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Mercer University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Mercer University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Macon, Georgia, Mercer University admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 69%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,271. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 72%.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Mercer University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Mercer University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $42,312 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $23,847 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $19,817 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $24,199.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Mercer University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Mercer University earn a median of $58,354, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How Mercer Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Mercer University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Mercer University is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 2.14%, among the highest in the country. About 7.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 27.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $90,000, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Mercer University produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 7 patents tied to its graduates.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Mercer University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Mercer University's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Mercer University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
As a private institution in Macon, Georgia, Mercer University admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 69%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,271. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 72%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Mercer University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Mercer University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $42,312 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $23,847 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $19,817 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $24,199.
Is Mercer University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Mercer University earn a median of $58,354, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Does Mercer University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Mercer University is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 2.14%, among the highest in the country. About 7.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 27.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $90,000, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Mercer University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks +
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Mercer University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.51 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Mercer University.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Mercer University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Mercer University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.51 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.