Mercer vs. Vanderbilt

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

Mercer Vanderbilt
Location Macon, GA Nashville, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 8,889 13,710
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #236 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercer.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mercer Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $39,408 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $39,408 $58,130
Room & Board $14,046 $19,862
Avg Net Price $22,087 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $33,740 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 65%

Admission

Mercer Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,556 46,377
Admitted 5,643 3,093
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 6.7%
Enrolled % 15.9% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.98 3.89
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 1, 2025

Academics

Mercer Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Mercer Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 60% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,300 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $144

Diversity

Mercer Vanderbilt
% Men 33% 44%
% Women 67% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 55%
% Black 31% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

Mercer Vanderbilt
% In-State 86% 9%
% Out-of-State 13% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Vanderbilt University is larger than than Mercer based on total student enrollment (13,710 students vs. 8,889 students)

Mercer vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercer or Vanderbilt?

  • Vanderbilt University is 47.5% more expensive to attend than Mercer for in-state tuition ($58,130.00 vs. $39,408.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.5% higher at Vanderbilt than Mercer University ($58,130.00 vs. $39,408.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercer University than Vanderbilt ($22,087 vs. $25,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercer University are 41.4% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($14,046 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University than Vanderbilt University (100% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 59.8% larger than aid received Mercer University ($53,932 vs. $33,740)

Mercer vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 281 points higher than at Mercer (1217)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Mercer (27)
  • Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Vanderbilt (3.89)
  • Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)

Mercer vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than Mercer University (92% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $25,800 more per year than Mercer graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $57,300)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $11,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercer graduates. ($14,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than Mercer graduates. ($144 vs. $258)
  • More Vanderbilt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 45%)

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