College ROI

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Mercer University

Macon, GA 4,500 Undergrads 67.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$58,204
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,847
After Aid
Median Earnings
$71,870
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,847
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$71,870
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,354
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate67.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age25.5
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
68.9%
SAT Avg
1,271
SAT Reading
25th: 59066375th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 57064875th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 253075th: 31

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$628k
+$161k
+$144k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$542k
+$75k
+$58k
Full Cost$58k/yr
+$419k
-$48k
-$66k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
42
68%
Full Cost$58k/yr
Never
-31%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return33%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-53%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,219
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,643
Earnings (4yr)
$75,529
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,874
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,223
Earnings (4yr)
$59,570
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,835
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Median Debt
$37,500
Earnings (4yr)
$77,713
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,696
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,990
Earnings (4yr)
$52,530
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$80,937
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$71,602
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,350
Earnings (4yr)
$88,413
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$66,036
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,052
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
$41,750
Earnings (4yr)
$45,484
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,182
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,060
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,990
Earnings (4yr)
$71,629
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,331
Natl Median: $54,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,502
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
$25,424
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,997
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,723
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,401
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,869
Earnings (4yr)
$85,030
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
$58,127
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
$34,800
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$35,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,513
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$37,415
Earnings (4yr)
$94,972
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Median Debt
$103,050
Earnings (4yr)
$125,910
Natl Median: $127,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$422k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$38,702
Earnings (5yr)
$63,099
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,375
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,318
Earnings (4yr)
$101,623
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Median Debt
$59,916
Earnings (4yr)
$54,555
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$113,358
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$61,710
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$75,204
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$28,501
Earnings (4yr)
$86,612
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,659
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (4yr)
$103,414
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$83,629
Earnings (4yr)
$57,040
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$66,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,262
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$128,313
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$443k
Median Debt
$34,167
Earnings (4yr)
$67,767
Natl Median: $65,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
$55,712
Earnings (4yr)
$59,236
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Median Debt
$41,546
Earnings (4yr)
$62,624
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$71,061
Earnings (4yr)
$58,680
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k

Graduate Certificates

Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,455
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,774
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,469
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$151,050
Earnings (4yr)
$94,134
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,686
Natl Median: $83,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,013
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$124,216
Earnings (4yr)
$90,359
Natl Median: $105,518
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Medicine
DocCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$195,967
Earnings (4yr)
$118,913
Natl Median: $118,504
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Median Debt
$175,359
Earnings (4yr)
$131,552
Natl Median: $136,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$96,034
Earnings (4yr)
$82,473
Natl Median: $82,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Education, General
DegCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,618
Natl Median: $62,645
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Music
DegCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,349
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,802
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.