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Georgia Washington and Lee University of Richmond Georgia State UNC Chapel Hill Duke Elon William & Mary Furman Emory KSU Berry College| Mercer University | Davidson College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Mercer | Davidson | ||
| Location | Macon, GA | Davidson, NC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 8,889 | 1,927 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #236 | #37 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mercer.edu | davidson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Mercer | Davidson | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $39,408 | $56,550 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,408 | $56,550 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,046 | $15,750 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,087 | $26,704 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $33,740 | $46,496 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 65% |
Admission |
Mercer | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,556 | 6,479 | ||
| Admitted | 5,643 | 1,098 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.7% | 16.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.9% | 49.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.98 | 3.81 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | |||
| ACT Range | 26/31 | 31/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1190/1360 | 1350/1500 | ||
| 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 | Jul 1, 2025 | Jan 7, 2025 |
Academics |
Mercer | Davidson | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Mercer | Davidson | ||
| Graduation Rate | 60% | 92% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $57,300 | $63,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 45% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $17,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $175 |
Diversity |
Mercer | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 33% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 67% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 48% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 31% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Mercer | Davidson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 86% | 17% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 13% | 71% | ||
Campus |
Mercer | Davidson | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Mercer University is larger than than Davidson based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 1,927 students)
Mercer vs. Davidson Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Mercer or Davidson?
- Davidson College is 43.5% more expensive to attend than Mercer for in-state tuition ($56,550.00 vs. $39,408.00)
- Out of state tuition is 43.5% higher at Davidson than Mercer University ($56,550.00 vs. $39,408.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercer University than Davidson ($22,087 vs. $26,704)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercer University are 12.1% lower than costs at Davidson College ($14,046 vs. $15,750)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University than Davidson College (100% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 37.8% larger than aid received Mercer University ($46,496 vs. $33,740)
Mercer vs. Davidson Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Mercer or Davidson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Davidson or Mercer .
- The average SAT score at Davidson College (1355) is 138 points higher than at Mercer (1217)
- Incoming Davidson students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Mercer (27)
- Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Davidson (3.81)
- Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Davidson (16.9%)
Mercer vs. Davidson Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Mercer or Davidson? 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 Davidson and Mercer.
- The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than Mercer University (92% vs. 60%)
- Graduates from Davidson College earn on average $6,200 more per year than Mercer graduates after ten years. ($63,500 vs. $57,300)
- Davidson College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercer graduates. ($17,000 vs. $25,000)
- Davidson graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than Mercer graduates. ($175 vs. $258)
- More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 45%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/