V-State vs Mercer

Valdosta State University and Mercer University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Georgia, offer distinct educational experiences. Valdosta State, a public university, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it more accessible to a broader range of students. Mercer, a private university, offers a more selective admissions process, resulting in a smaller student body. While both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, Valdosta State is known for its strong programs in nursing, education, and business, while Mercer excels in pre-professional programs such as law, medicine, and pharmacy. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further differences, including student demographics, graduation rates, and cost of attendance, to determine which university best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Mercer University	Valdosta State University
Overview
Location	Macon, Georgia	Valdosta, Georgia
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	86.0%	56.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	75.4%	76.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $45
SAT range	1220 - 1400	940 - 1140
ACT range	28 - 32	17 - 23
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	18.0%
Students submitting ACT score	17.0%	12.0%
Total number of applicants	7,201	8,650
Total number of admissions given out	5,430	6,606
Admitted students who chose to enroll	950	1,782
Yield rate	17.5%	27.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$56,162	In state: $22,695 Out of state: $33,750
Average net price	$21,164	$12,856
Tuition	$38,446	In state: $4,371 Out of state: $15,426
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,580 Meal plan: $6,858	Room/dormitory: $4,566 Meal plan: $4,204
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $32,845	89.0% Average amount $9,221
Students receiving federal student loan	51.0% Average amount $5,473	57.0% Average amount $5,454
Students taking out private loans	16.0% Average amount $10,195	4.0% Average amount $8,546

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	4,941 Men 34.6% Women 65.4%	8,760 Men 33.0% Women 67.0%
Graduate students	4,068 Men 31.4% Women 68.6%	2,797 Men 24.7% Women 75.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	11.6%	19.1%
International students	2.6%	1.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	3,025	2,857
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	Georgia Florida Alabama South Carolina Tennessee

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Business Legal Profession Psychology	Education Health Professions Business Psychology Library Science
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	19:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	73.6%	41.0%
Dropout rate	4.8%	14.9%
Transferred out	21.2%	41.8%
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	Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $64,245 Year 3: $69,158 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,210 Year 2: $58,898 Year 3: $64,095 Educational/Instructional Media Design (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $61,814 Year 3: $61,964 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $59,858 Year 3: $61,823 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,309 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $58,113 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,101 Year 2: $52,524 Year 3: $54,080 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,464 Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: $52,422 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,958 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $52,230 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,173 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $51,849 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,788 Year 2: $48,363 Year 3: $51,433

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