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Duke WUSTL Emory Rice Georgia Notre Dame Georgetown Northwestern Stanford Johns Hopkins Georgia State UChicago| Mercer University | Vanderbilt University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 7:1 | ||
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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/