Florida Southern vs. Mercer

Should I go to Florida Southern College or Mercer University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Florida Southern or Mercer is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Florida Southern College vs. Mercer University comparison
Florida Southern College Mercer University College 3 College 4
Florida Southern College Mercer University
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Overview

Florida Southern Mercer
Location Lakeland, FL Macon, GA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 3,281 8,889
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #425 #236
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website flsouthern.edu mercer.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Florida Southern Mercer
Tuition (In State) $39,700 $39,408
Tuition (Out of State) $39,700 $39,408
Room & Board $12,400 $14,046
Avg Net Price $27,324 $22,087
Avg Grant Aid $27,730 $33,740
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Florida Southern Mercer
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,120 7,556
Admitted 6,295 5,643
Acceptance Rate 56.6% 74.7%
Enrolled % 12% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.98
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 26/31
SAT Range 1080/1290 1190/1360
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Florida Southern Mercer
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Florida Southern Mercer
Graduation Rate 55% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,700 $57,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $258

Diversity

Florida Southern Mercer
% Men 37% 33%
% Women 63% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 48%
% Black 6% 31%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Florida Southern Mercer
% In-State 51% 86%
% Out-of-State 45% 13%

Campus

Florida Southern Mercer
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mercer University is larger than than Florida Southern based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 3,281 students)

Florida Southern vs. Mercer Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida Southern or Mercer?

  • Florida Southern College is 0.7% more expensive to attend than Mercer for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $39,408.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.7% higher at Florida Southern than Mercer University ($39,700.00 vs. $39,408.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercer University than Florida Southern ($22,087 vs. $27,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Southern College are 13.3% lower than costs at Mercer University ($12,400 vs. $14,046)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Florida Southern College as Mercer University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercer University students is 21.7% larger than aid received Florida Southern College ($33,740 vs. $27,730)

Florida Southern vs. Mercer Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Florida Southern or Mercer? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mercer or Florida Southern .

  • The average SAT score at Mercer University (1217) is 45 points higher than at Florida Southern (1172)
  • Incoming Florida Southern students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Mercer (27)
  • Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Florida Southern (3.73)
  • Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Florida Southern (56.6%)

Florida Southern vs. Mercer Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida Southern or Mercer? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Mercer and Florida Southern.

  • The graduation rate at Mercer is higher than Florida Southern College (60% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Mercer University earn on average $14,600 more per year than Florida Southern graduates after ten years. ($57,300 vs. $42,700)
  • Florida Southern College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercer graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Florida Southern graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Mercer graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More Florida Southern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 45%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/