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UCF Florida State UT Georgia Florida FGCU FAU Georgia State UNF Emory ASU KSU| University of South Florida Main Campus | Mercer University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
USF Main Campus | Mercer | ||
| Location | Tampa, FL | Macon, GA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 49,600 | 8,889 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #423 | #236 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usf.edu | mercer.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USF Main Campus | Mercer | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,559 | $39,408 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $15,473 | $39,408 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,622 | $14,046 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,004 | $22,087 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,066 | $33,740 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 100% |
Admission |
USF Main Campus | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 65,568 | 7,556 | ||
| Admitted | 28,801 | 5,643 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 43.9% | 74.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 15.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.64 | 3.98 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 24/29 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1140/1330 | 1190/1360 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Required to be considered for admission | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | May 1, 2025 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Academics |
USF Main Campus | Mercer | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USF Main Campus | Mercer | ||
| Graduation Rate | 52% | 60% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $46,500 | $57,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 57% | 45% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,147 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $197 | $258 |
Diversity |
USF Main Campus | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 51% | 48% | ||
| % Black | 11% | 31% | ||
| % Hispanic | 21% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
USF Main Campus | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 74% | 86% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 13% | ||
Campus |
USF Main Campus | Mercer | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of South Florida Main Campus is larger than than Mercer based on total student enrollment (49,600 students vs. 8,889 students)
USF Main Campus vs. Mercer Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USF Main Campus or Mercer?
- Mercer University is 764.4% more expensive to attend than USF Main Campus for in-state tuition ($39,408.00 vs. $4,559.00)
- Out of state tuition is 154.7% higher at Mercer than University of South Florida Main Campus ($39,408.00 vs. $15,473.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Florida Main Campus than Mercer ($11,004 vs. $22,087)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Florida Main Campus are 11.3% lower than costs at Mercer University ($12,622 vs. $14,046)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University than University of South Florida Main Campus (100% vs. 87%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Mercer University students is 204.9% larger than aid received University of South Florida Main Campus ($33,740 vs. $11,066)
USF Main Campus vs. Mercer Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USF Main Campus or Mercer? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mercer or USF Main Campus .
- The average SAT score at Mercer University (1217) is 40 points higher than at USF Main Campus (1177)
- Incoming Mercer students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at USF Main Campus (26)
- Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at USF Main Campus (3.64)
- Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than USF Main Campus (43.9%)
USF Main Campus vs. Mercer Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USF Main Campus or Mercer? 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 Mercer and USF Main Campus.
- The graduation rate at Mercer is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (60% vs. 52%)
- Graduates from Mercer University earn on average $10,800 more per year than USF Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($57,300 vs. $46,500)
- University of South Florida Main Campus students graduate with a $5,853 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercer graduates. ($19,147 vs. $25,000)
- USF Main Campus graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Mercer graduates. ($197 vs. $258)
- More USF Main Campus graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 45%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/