Mercer vs Wilkes University

Mercer University and Wilkes University, both established in the 19th century, offer distinct educational experiences. Mercer, a private institution in Macon, Georgia, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Wilkes' 67%. Mercer's student body is more diverse, with 44% identifying as minorities, while Wilkes' student body is predominantly White (84%). In terms of academics, Mercer offers a wider range of undergraduate programs, including popular majors like nursing, business, and education, while Wilkes focuses on liberal arts and sciences, with strengths in biology, psychology, and criminal justice. Mercer's graduation rate stands at 62%, slightly higher than Wilkes' 58%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Mercer University	Wilkes University
Overview
Location	Macon, Georgia	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
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	86.0%	75.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	75.4%	94.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $45
SAT range	1220 - 1400	1040 - 1250
ACT range	28 - 32	20 - 28
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	30.0%
Students submitting ACT score	17.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	7,201	4,019
Total number of admissions given out	5,430	3,809
Admitted students who chose to enroll	950	556
Yield rate	17.5%	14.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$56,162	$55,207
Average net price	$21,164	$30,155
Tuition	$38,446	$37,994
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,580 Meal plan: $6,858	Room/dormitory: $9,492 Meal plan: $6,206
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $32,845	96.0% Average amount $26,371
Students receiving federal student loan	51.0% Average amount $5,473	84.0% Average amount $5,594
Students taking out private loans	16.0% Average amount $10,195	32.0% Average amount $16,328

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	4,941 Men 34.6% Women 65.4%	2,232 Men 45.5% Women 54.5%
Graduate students	4,068 Men 31.4% Women 68.6%	3,044 Men 22.5% Women 77.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	11.6%	26.5%
International students	2.6%	2.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	3,025	1,184
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Georgia Florida Alabama South Carolina Tennessee	Pennsylvania New Jersey New York Maryland Connecticut

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Business Legal Profession Psychology	Education Health Professions Liberal Arts Engineering Business
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	73.6%	61.4%
Dropout rate	4.8%	11.2%
Transferred out	21.2%	26.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $126,057 Year 2: $133,171 Year 3: $124,927 Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $107,920 Year 2: $110,559 Year 3: $119,036 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,305 Year 2: $53,984 Year 3: $65,444 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,200 Year 2: $53,219 Year 3: $64,060 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $56,705 Year 2: $52,733 Year 3: $63,832 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,105 Year 2: $65,035 Year 3: $63,464 Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,835 Year 2: $52,941 Year 3: $59,300 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $54,977 Year 2: $49,631 Year 3: $56,693 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,044 Year 2: $53,099 Year 3: $55,573 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,218 Year 2: $44,776 Year 3: $55,534

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