Mercer vs. Pacific

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

Mercer Pacific
Location Macon, GA Forest Grove, OR
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,889 3,559
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #236 #354
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercer.edu pacificu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mercer Pacific
Tuition (In State) $39,408 $50,884
Tuition (Out of State) $39,408 $50,884
Room & Board $14,046 $14,408
Avg Net Price $22,087 $33,472
Avg Grant Aid $33,740 $33,340
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Mercer Pacific
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,556 2,759
Admitted 5,643 2,546
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 92.3%
Enrolled % 15.9% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.98 3.73
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31 20/26
SAT Range 1190/1360 1010/1350
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 Aug 25, 2024

Academics

Mercer Pacific
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

Mercer Pacific
Graduation Rate 60% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,300 $46,800
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,156
Median Loan Payment $258 $270

Diversity

Mercer Pacific
% Men 33% 32%
% Women 67% 68%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 52%
% Black 31% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 3%
% Two or More Races 3% 12%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

Mercer Pacific
% In-State 86% 38%
% Out-of-State 13% 61%

Campus

Mercer Pacific
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 Pacific based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 3,559 students)

Mercer vs. Pacific Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercer or Pacific?

  • Pacific University is 29.1% more expensive to attend than Mercer for in-state tuition ($50,884.00 vs. $39,408.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.1% higher at Pacific than Mercer University ($50,884.00 vs. $39,408.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercer University than Pacific ($22,087 vs. $33,472)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercer University are 2.6% lower than costs at Pacific University ($14,046 vs. $14,408)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University than Pacific University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercer University students is 1.2% larger than aid received Pacific University ($33,740 vs. $33,340)

Mercer vs. Pacific Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mercer University (1217) is 127 points higher than at Pacific (1090)
  • Incoming Mercer students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Pacific (24)
  • Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at Pacific (3.73)
  • Pacific has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than Mercer (74.7%)

Mercer vs. Pacific Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Pacific is higher than Mercer University (61% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Mercer University earn on average $10,500 more per year than Pacific graduates after ten years. ($57,300 vs. $46,800)
  • Mercer University students graduate with a $1,156 lower median federal student loan debt than Pacific graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,156)
  • Mercer graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Pacific graduates. ($258 vs. $270)
  • More Pacific graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 45%)

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