Mercer vs. Davidson

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

Mercer Davidson
Location Macon, GA Davidson, NC
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,889 1,927
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #236 #37
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercer.edu davidson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mercer Davidson
Tuition (In State) $39,408 $56,550
Tuition (Out of State) $39,408 $56,550
Room & Board $14,046 $15,750
Avg Net Price $22,087 $26,704
Avg Grant Aid $33,740 $46,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 65%

Admission

Mercer Davidson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,556 6,479
Admitted 5,643 1,098
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 16.9%
Enrolled % 15.9% 49.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.98 3.81
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 26/31 31/33
SAT Range 1190/1360 1350/1500
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, 2024 Jan 7, 2024

Academics

Mercer Davidson
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)

Outcomes

Mercer Davidson
Graduation Rate 60% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,300 $63,500
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $17,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $175

Diversity

Mercer Davidson
% Men 33% 47%
% Women 67% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 68%
% Black 31% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Mercer Davidson
% In-State 86% 17%
% Out-of-State 13% 71%

Campus

Mercer Davidson
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 Davidson based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 1,927 students)

Mercer vs. Davidson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercer or Davidson?

  • Davidson College is 43.5% more expensive to attend than Mercer for in-state tuition ($56,550.00 vs. $39,408.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.5% higher at Davidson than Mercer University ($56,550.00 vs. $39,408.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercer University than Davidson ($22,087 vs. $26,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercer University are 12.1% lower than costs at Davidson College ($14,046 vs. $15,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University than Davidson College (100% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 37.8% larger than aid received Mercer University ($46,496 vs. $33,740)

Mercer vs. Davidson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Davidson College (1355) is 138 points higher than at Mercer (1217)
  • Incoming Davidson students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Mercer (27)
  • Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Davidson (3.81)
  • Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Davidson (16.9%)

Mercer vs. Davidson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than Mercer University (92% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn on average $6,200 more per year than Mercer graduates after ten years. ($63,500 vs. $57,300)
  • Davidson College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercer graduates. ($17,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Davidson graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than Mercer graduates. ($175 vs. $258)
  • More Davidson 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/