USF Main Campus vs. Mercer

Should I go to University of South Florida Main Campus or Mercer University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USF Main Campus 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 South Florida Main Campus vs. Mercer University comparison
University of South Florida Main Campus Mercer University College 3 College 4
University of South Florida Main Campus Mercer University
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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
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, 2024 Jul 1, 2024

Academics

USF Main Campus Mercer
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Human Services (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

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/