Mercer vs. Shorter

Should I go to Mercer University or Shorter University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Mercer or Shorter 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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Mercer University vs. Shorter University comparison
Mercer University Shorter University College 3 College 4
Mercer University Shorter University
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Overview

Mercer Shorter
Location Macon, GA Rome, GA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 8,889 1,515
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #236 #872
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercer.edu shorter.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mercer Shorter
Tuition (In State) $39,408 $22,380
Tuition (Out of State) $39,408 $22,380
Room & Board $14,046 $9,400
Avg Net Price $22,087 $13,490
Avg Grant Aid $33,740 $20,057
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Mercer Shorter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,556 871
Admitted 5,643 849
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 97.5%
Enrolled % 15.9% 31.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.98 3.25
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31 17/25
SAT Range 1190/1360 960/1290
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 Aug 25, 2025

Academics

Mercer Shorter
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Mercer Shorter
Graduation Rate 60% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,300 $49,300
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $28,418
Median Loan Payment $258 $293

Diversity

Mercer Shorter
% Men 33% 44%
% Women 67% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 62%
% Black 31% 24%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Mercer Shorter
% In-State 86% 84%
% Out-of-State 13% 15%

Campus

Mercer Shorter
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 Shorter based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 1,515 students)

Mercer vs. Shorter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercer or Shorter?

  • Mercer University is 76.1% more expensive to attend than Shorter for in-state tuition ($39,408.00 vs. $22,380.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.1% higher at Mercer than Shorter University ($39,408.00 vs. $22,380.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shorter University than Mercer ($13,490 vs. $22,087)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 49.4% lower than costs at Mercer University ($9,400 vs. $14,046)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University as Shorter University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercer University students is 68.2% larger than aid received Shorter University ($33,740 vs. $20,057)

Mercer vs. Shorter Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mercer University (1217) is 248 points higher than at Shorter (969)
  • Incoming Mercer students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Shorter (21)
  • Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.73 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Shorter (3.25)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than Mercer (74.7%)

Mercer vs. Shorter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mercer or Shorter? 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 Shorter and Mercer.

  • The graduation rate at Mercer is higher than Shorter University (60% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Mercer University earn on average $8,000 more per year than Shorter graduates after ten years. ($57,300 vs. $49,300)
  • Mercer University students graduate with a $3,418 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($25,000 vs. $28,418)
  • Mercer graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($258 vs. $293)
  • More Mercer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 38%)

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