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Vanderbilt UNC Chapel Hill Harvard Georgetown Penn Princeton Georgia Stanford Northwestern Cornell Johns Hopkins Rice| Mercer University | Duke University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Mercer | Duke | ||
| Location | Macon, GA | Durham, NC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 8,889 | 18,023 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #236 | #3 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mercer.edu | duke.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Mercer | Duke | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $39,408 | $60,435 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,408 | $60,435 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,046 | $16,651 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,087 | $23,694 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $33,740 | $57,444 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 42% |
Admission |
Mercer | Duke | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,556 | 50,016 | ||
| Admitted | 5,643 | 3,174 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.7% | 6.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.9% | 55% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.98 | 3.94 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 26/31 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1190/1360 | 1490/1570 | ||
| 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 3, 2025 |
Academics |
Mercer | Duke | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Mercer | Duke | ||
| Graduation Rate | 60% | 94% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $57,300 | $108,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 45% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $7,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $77 |
Diversity |
Mercer | Duke | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 33% | 45% | ||
| % Women | 67% | 55% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 48% | 46% | ||
| % Black | 31% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 3% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
Mercer | Duke | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 86% | 12% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 13% | 74% | ||
Campus |
Mercer | Duke | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Duke University is larger than than Mercer based on total student enrollment (18,023 students vs. 8,889 students)
Mercer vs. Duke Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Mercer or Duke?
- Duke University is 53.4% more expensive to attend than Mercer for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $39,408.00)
- Out of state tuition is 53.4% higher at Duke than Mercer University ($60,435.00 vs. $39,408.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercer University than Duke ($22,087 vs. $23,694)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercer University are 18.5% lower than costs at Duke University ($14,046 vs. $16,651)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University than Duke University (100% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 70.3% larger than aid received Mercer University ($57,444 vs. $33,740)
Mercer vs. Duke Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Mercer or Duke? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Duke or Mercer .
- The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 233 points higher than at Mercer (1217)
- Incoming Duke students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Mercer (27)
- Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Duke (3.94)
- Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Duke (6.3%)
Mercer vs. Duke Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Mercer or Duke? 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 Duke and Mercer.
- The graduation rate at Duke is higher than Mercer University (94% vs. 60%)
- Graduates from Duke University earn on average $51,600 more per year than Mercer graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $57,300)
- Duke University students graduate with a $17,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercer graduates. ($7,500 vs. $25,000)
- Duke graduates are paying $181 less per month on federal student loans than Mercer graduates. ($77 vs. $258)
- More Duke 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/