Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount Chapman Georgia Pepperdine SCU USF Georgia State USC Emory KSU| University of San Diego | Mercer University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
USD | Mercer | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Macon, GA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 8,815 | 8,889 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #236 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sandiego.edu | mercer.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USD | Mercer | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $53,810 | $39,408 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $53,810 | $39,408 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,010 | $14,046 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $36,008 | $22,087 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $36,408 | $33,740 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 83% | 100% |
Admission |
USD | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,334 | 7,556 | ||
| Admitted | 7,541 | 5,643 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 52.6% | 74.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.4% | 15.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.95 | 3.98 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 26/31 | |||
| SAT Range | 1190/1360 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Dec 15, 2023 | Jul 1, 2024 |
Academics |
USD | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 13:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
USD | Mercer | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 60% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $70,200 | $57,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 45% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,904 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $236 | $258 |
Diversity |
USD | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 53% | 48% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 31% | ||
| % Hispanic | 19% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 5% |
Students |
USD | Mercer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 55% | 86% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 13% | ||
Campus |
USD | 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
- Mercer University is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 8,815 students)
USD vs. Mercer Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USD or Mercer?
- University of San Diego is 36.5% more expensive to attend than Mercer for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $39,408.00)
- Out of state tuition is 36.5% higher at USD than Mercer University ($53,810.00 vs. $39,408.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mercer University than USD ($22,087 vs. $36,008)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercer University are 21.1% lower than costs at University of San Diego ($14,046 vs. $17,010)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Mercer University than University of San Diego (100% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 7.9% larger than aid received Mercer University ($36,408 vs. $33,740)
USD vs. Mercer Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USD or Mercer? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mercer or USD .
- The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 19 points higher than at Mercer (1217)
- Incoming USD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Mercer (27)
- Accepted freshman Mercer students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.98) than students at USD (3.95)
- Mercer has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than USD (52.6%)
USD vs. Mercer Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USD 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 USD.
- The graduation rate at USD is higher than Mercer University (75% vs. 60%)
- Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $12,900 more per year than Mercer graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $57,300)
- University of San Diego students graduate with a $2,096 lower median federal student loan debt than Mercer graduates. ($22,904 vs. $25,000)
- USD graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Mercer graduates. ($236 vs. $258)
- More USD 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/