Mercer vs University of Iowa (UIowa)

Mercer University and the University of Iowa, while both offering excellent educational opportunities, present distinct differences that may influence your academic journey. Mercer University, a private institution in Georgia, boasts a smaller student body and a higher acceptance rate compared to the public University of Iowa, located in the heart of the Midwest. While Mercer excels in liberal arts and business programs, Iowa shines in engineering, healthcare, and creative writing. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details, including graduation rates, student demographics, and more, to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Mercer University logo

Mercer University

University of Iowa logo

University of Iowa

Overview

Location Macon, Georgia Iowa City, Iowa
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% 88.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.4% 86.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1220 - 1400 1130 - 1350
ACT range 28 - 32 22 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 26.0% 18.0%
Students submitting ACT score 17.0% 65.0%
Total number of applicants 7,201 22,434
Total number of admissions given out 5,430 19,340
Admitted students who chose to enroll 950 4,521
Yield rate 17.5% 23.4%
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: $24,686

Out of state: $46,649
Average net price $21,164 $17,599
Tuition $38,446
In state: $8,356

Out of state: $30,319
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,580

Meal plan: $6,858
$11,780
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $32,845
71.0%
Average amount $11,007
Students receiving federal student loan 51.0%
Average amount $5,473
44.0%
Average amount $5,282
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $10,195
10.0%
Average amount $16,747

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,941
Men 34.6% Women 65.4%
21,608
Men 44.3% Women 55.7%
Graduate students 4,068
Men 31.4% Women 68.6%
8,301
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 11.6% 39.4%
International students 2.6% 5.4%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Small
Dormitory capacity 3,025 6,660
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 Iowa Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin California

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Legal Profession
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.6% 73.7%
Dropout rate 4.8% 7.2%
Transferred out 21.2% 17.7%
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
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $125,938
  • Year 2: $134,155
  • Year 3: $142,171
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,649
  • Year 2: $112,215
  • Year 3: $121,442
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,222
  • Year 2: $96,991
  • Year 3: $113,045
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,534
  • Year 2: $103,913
  • Year 3: $108,049
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,863
  • Year 2: $69,757
  • Year 3: $81,687
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,283
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $81,057
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,973
  • Year 2: $69,657
  • Year 3: $80,787
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,231
  • Year 2: $71,351
  • Year 3: $80,592
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,094
  • Year 2: $65,387
  • Year 3: $78,583
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,942
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $71,106

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