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Compare Georgia College & State University vs Mercer University

Milledgeville, GA · Macon, GA

Georgia College & State UniversityMercer University
Cost
Price after aid (average)$20,686/yr$23,847/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$15,396/yr$19,817/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$22,250$24,199
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$16,772/yr$21,484/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$19,179/yr$22,533/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$22,294/yr$25,184/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$23,216/yr$26,770/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$236/mo$257/mo
Room & board (on campus)$12,302/yr$15,156/yr
Room & board (off campus)$9,547/yr$15,156/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$2,000/yr$1,200/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$7,723/yr$2,866/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$30,258/yr$58,204/yr
Tuition (in-state)$9,186/yr$42,312/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$29,512/yr$42,312/yr
Students with Pell Grants18%35%
Students taking federal loans34%62%
Getting in
Students who get accepted78%69%
SAT range (middle 50%)1070–12301160–1350
SAT average11631271
ACT range (middle 50%)22–2625–31
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 21–26 · Math 20–25English 24–33 · Math 23–29
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received6,21411,058
Students accepted5,4547,349
Students who enrolled1,8161,015
Accepted students who enroll33%14%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores31%32%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores22%17%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredRequired
Recommendation lettersOptional (considered if sent)Required
Class rankOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
College-prep programRequiredRequired
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredNot considered
Work experienceNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyRequiredOptional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate64%70%
Freshmen who come back82%82%
Typical earnings 10 years in$58,140/yr$58,354/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$39,235–$82,395$36,398–$85,903
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)62%67%
White students graduating65%72%
Black students graduating64%64%
Hispanic students graduating59%63%
Asian students graduating55%72%
Typical earnings 6 years in$50,644/yr$50,231/yr
Earn more than a HS grad74%79%
Graduate on time53%61%
Pell students who graduate64%63%
First-gen students who finish58%55%
Low-income students who finish57%52%
Students who transfer out31%16%
Typical earnings 8 years in$55,026/yr$53,833/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 26% · Health Professions 15% · Education 8%Health Professions 22% · Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 10%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 26% of degreesHealth Professions — 22% of degrees
2nd most popular programHealth Professions — 15% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees
3rd most popular programEducation — 8% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degrees
4th most popular programParks, Recreation & Fitness — 7% of degreesEngineering — 9% of degrees
5th most popular programPsychology — 6% of degreesPsychology — 9% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $89,092/yrRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $119,903/yr
Degrees in STEM12%28%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment5,9474,500
Students per professor17 : 111 : 1
Graduate students1,0914,506
Average professor pay$8,775/mo$9,556/mo
Full-time professors80%98%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited bySouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Median family income$78,448$43,172
SettingTown (distant)City (midsize)
LocationMilledgeville, GAMacon, GA
RegionSoutheastSoutheast
Founded18891833
Public or privatePublicPrivate (nonprofit)
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationMaster's Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsDoctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students0.5%2.6%
Men35%35%
Women65%65%
White students83%41%
Black students3.1%32%
Hispanic or Latino students7.2%9.1%
Asian students1.8%8.4%
Two or more races3.1%4.2%
Other / not reported1.7%2.8%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students20%28%
Part-time students6.8%11%
Students age 25+0.9%23%
Spent on teaching per student$7,038/yr$14,074/yr
Endowment$64.6M$481.9M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing2,2373,205
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$7,482/yr$7,152/yr
Meal plan charge$4,832/yr$7,376/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by weekVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesYes
ROTCYes — ArmyYes — Army
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesNoYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careNoNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolNoYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesNo
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division II without footballNCAA Division I-FCS
Football teamNoYes
Varsity teams1118
Student athletes223468
Athletic scholarships$1.4M$11.5M
Athletics budget$4.4M$30.6M
Athletics revenue$4.6M$30.6M
Recruiting spend$19,012$696,246

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.