Mercer University
Macon, Georgia · Private · 4,500 undergraduates · mercer.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test required
Send an SAT or ACT score
Admit rate
69%
of 9,813 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1170 to 1330
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$70,900Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Mercer University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
69% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$70,900
a year in 2027-28, from a $70,900 sticker price
What to do with your 1240
Send your score
This college requires an SAT or ACT score.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test required
You must send an SAT or ACT score.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: Test Required and What It Means For You | Mercer Admissions · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Dec1Early Action · December 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Feb1Regular Decision · February 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
69%
of applicants were admitted: 6,760 of 9,813 for fall 2024.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/15, hear by 1/15.
Wait list
205 students were offered a spot; 116 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2024)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 40% of them sent SAT scores and 17% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1170 to 1330
Reading and Writing 590 to 680
Math 570 to 670
ACT composite 25 to 31
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160015%
- 1200 to 139951%
- 1000 to 119934%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2024-25
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.80
- 4.030%
- 3.75 to 3.9936%
- 3.50 to 3.7421%
- 3.25 to 3.497%
- 3.00 to 3.242.3%
- 2.50 to 2.991.4%
- Below 2.502%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$70,900
a year
- Tuition$48,670
- Fees$340
- Food and housing$17,260
- Books and supplies$1,350
- Transportation and other$3,280
Mercer University published $63,031 for 2024-25. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-25
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$18,845
- $30,001 to $48,000$21,273
- $48,001 to $75,000$22,137
- $75,001 to $110,000$24,117
- Over $110,000$27,667
Financial aid
84%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$36,208
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
29%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $25,086 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-25
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Georgia programs for residents
HOPE Scholarship
State program · In-state students
Tuition at HOPE rate. 2026-27 examples: UGA $334.47/credit hour ($5,017/semester at 15 hrs); Emory (private) $2,985/semester full-time, $1,493 half-time
- 1160+ SAT or 24+ ACT, Ineligible HS graduate / unaccredited home study / HSE: test-only pathway; graduate from an ineligible high school, unaccredited home study, or HSE diploma; manual evaluation
Zell Miller Scholarship
State program · In-state students
100% of standard undergraduate tuition (public up to 15 hrs; private up to 12 hrs). 2026-27 examples: UGA $5,067/semester for 7-15 hrs; Emory (private) $2,985/semester full-time, $1,493 half-time
- 3.70+ GPA, 1200+ SAT or 25+ ACT, Eligible HS graduate / accredited home study: GPA + test pathway; at least 4 full rigor credits from the Academic Rigor Course List
- 1340+ SAT or 29+ ACT, Ineligible HS graduate / unaccredited home study: test-only pathway; graduate from an ineligible high school or complete an unaccredited home study program; manual evaluation
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
38 of 38
Earn credit with a score of 3
23 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $4,870Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | ART 116 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | ART 117 |
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | AFR 190 |
| Art History | 4 | 6 | ART 106 and 107 |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIO 110 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIO 110 or BIO 171 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 3 | MAT 141 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MAT 191 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MAT191 and MAT 192 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHM 110 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHM 110 or CHM 111 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | CHM 111 and CHM 112 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | CHN 111 and CHN 112 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | POL 100 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | CSC 204 or EGR 126 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | IST 126 |
| Drawing | 4 | 3 | ART 115 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENG 100 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENG 226 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | ENB 100 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 | ENB 150 |
| European History | 4 | 3 | HIS 105 |
| European History | 5 | 4 | HIS 105 or HIS 100 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | FRE 111 and FRE 112 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | WLC111 and WLC112 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEO 111 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | WLC 111 & WLC112 |
| Latin | 3 | 6 | LAT 111 and LAT 112 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECN 151 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECN 150 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHY 141 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHY 142 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHY 162 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHY 161 |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 3 | MAT 133 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSY 101 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | HUM 100 |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | HUM 100 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | SPN 111 and SPN 112 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 8 | SPN 111 and SPN 112 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | STA 126 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | POL 101 |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | HIS 105 or HIS 100 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | HIS 100 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
72%
Come back for a second year
82%
Typical earnings
$63,469
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Mercer University$86,641
- All colleges$90,887
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 20 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Mercer University. The Mercer University logo is a trademark of the college.