Mercer vs Duke University

Mercer University and Duke University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Mercer, a private Baptist university in Macon, Georgia, boasts a smaller student body and a lower acceptance rate compared to Duke, a renowned private research university in Durham, North Carolina. While Duke excels in STEM fields, Mercer offers a wider range of undergraduate programs, including popular majors like business, education, and nursing. Both universities foster diverse student communities, with Duke having a slightly higher percentage of international students. Mercer's smaller class sizes may appeal to students seeking personalized attention, while Duke's extensive research opportunities and global reputation might attract those aiming for a more comprehensive academic experience. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your aspirations and goals.

	Duke University	Mercer University
Overview
Location	Durham, North Carolina	Macon, Georgia
Campus setting	City: Large	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	98.0%	86.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	5.9%	75.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $85 Graduate: $95	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50
SAT range	1468 - 1558	1220 - 1400
ACT range	33 - 35	28 - 32
Students submitting SAT score	47.0%	26.0%
Students submitting ACT score	46.0%	17.0%
Total number of applicants	49,703	7,201
Total number of admissions given out	2,927	5,430
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,744	950
Yield rate	59.6%	17.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$79,860	$56,162
Average net price	$27,297	$21,164
Tuition	$58,085	$38,446
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $9,164 Meal plan: $6,862	Room/dormitory: $6,580 Meal plan: $6,858
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	46.0% Average amount $50,731	100.0% Average amount $32,845
Students receiving federal student loan	20.0% Average amount $4,537	51.0% Average amount $5,473
Students taking out private loans	3.0% Average amount $22,957	16.0% Average amount $10,195

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,883 Men 48.4% Women 51.6%	4,941 Men 34.6% Women 65.4%
Graduate students	10,737 Men 45.5% Women 54.5%	4,068 Men 31.4% Women 68.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	11.6%
International students	21.4%	2.6%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	5,718	3,025
First year students are required to live on campus?	Yes	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Georgia Florida Alabama South Carolina Tennessee

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Health Professions Engineering Legal Profession Social Sciences	Health Professions Education Business Legal Profession Psychology
Students to faculty ratio	6:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	95.9%	73.6%
Dropout rate	4.0%	4.8%
Transferred out	N/A	21.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	International Business (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $151,472 Year 2: $213,978 Year 3: $201,782 Law (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $155,031 Year 2: $168,098 Year 3: $200,300 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $143,622 Year 2: $148,189 Year 3: $163,560 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: $163,977 Year 2: $138,342 Year 3: $159,598 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $115,135 Year 2: $106,898 Year 3: $134,542 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $123,138 Year 2: $116,541 Year 3: $124,406 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $108,817 Year 2: $97,071 Year 3: $117,262 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $94,699 Year 2: $90,856 Year 3: $112,646 Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,661 Year 2: $91,078 Year 3: $108,736 Economics (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $104,348	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $102,958 Year 2: $115,064 Year 3: $119,786 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,104 Year 2: $95,930 Year 3: $108,135 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,605 Year 2: $90,856 Year 3: $99,907 Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $80,042 Year 2: $85,538 Year 3: $90,728 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $86,601 Year 2: $87,604 Year 3: $88,650 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $75,345 Year 2: $70,736 Year 3: $77,709 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $69,717 Year 2: $71,127 Year 3: $75,469 Curriculum and Instruction (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $72,283 Year 2: $72,682 Year 3: $74,940 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,626 Year 2: $49,729 Year 3: $73,114 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,605 Year 2: $54,109 Year 3: $69,855

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