UCF vs. Mercer

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

UCF Mercer
Location Orlando, FL Macon, GA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 69,233 9,124
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #221
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu mercer.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCF Mercer
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $40,590
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $40,590
Room & Board $12,070 $14,528
Avg Net Price $13,110 $24,197
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $32,402
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 100%

Admission

UCF Mercer
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 11,058
Admitted 23,961 7,349
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 66.5%
Enrolled % 34.2% 13.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.98
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/29 25/31
SAT Range 1190/1350 1180/1350
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

UCF Mercer
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

UCF Mercer
Graduation Rate 63% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $57,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $188 $258

Diversity

UCF Mercer
% Men 6% 15%
% Women 8% 32%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 48%
% Black 11% 31%
% Hispanic 24% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

UCF Mercer
% In-State 92% 86%
% Out-of-State 8% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than Mercer based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 9,124 students)

UCF vs. Mercer Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or Mercer?

  • Mercer University is 806.4% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($40,590.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.9% higher at Mercer than University of Central Florida ($40,590.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than Mercer ($13,110 vs. $24,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 20.4% lower than costs at Mercer University ($12,070 vs. $14,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University than University of Central Florida (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercer University students is 238% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($32,402 vs. $9,585)

UCF vs. Mercer Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mercer University (1217) is 38 points higher than at UCF (1179)
  • Incoming Mercer students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UCF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (66.5%) than UCF (39.5%)

UCF vs. Mercer Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF 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 UCF.

  • The graduation rate at UCF is higher than Mercer University (63% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Mercer University earn on average $8,400 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($57,300 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $6,730 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercer graduates. ($18,270 vs. $25,000)
  • UCF graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Mercer graduates. ($188 vs. $258)
  • More UCF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercer students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 45%)

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