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Mercer University
Macon, GA 4,620 Undergrads 66.6% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$56,494
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,350
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,354
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$22,350
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,354
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate66.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.7%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
66.5%
SAT Avg
1,280
SAT Reading
25th: 60066375th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 58064875th: 670
ACT Composite
25th: 253075th: 31
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
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)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$504k
+$108k
+$20k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$424k
+$27k
-$61k
Full Cost$56k/yr
+$301k
-$96k
-$184k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
47
∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
Never
-76%
Full Cost$56k/yr
Never
-90%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- 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
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 Return-74%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
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-83%
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 with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$26,643
Earnings (5yr)
$98,559
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,223
Earnings (5yr)
$67,149
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,743
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$37,500
Earnings (5yr)
$67,314
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$24,990
Earnings (5yr)
$54,048
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,832
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$25,350
Earnings (5yr)
$88,497
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$41,750
Earnings (5yr)
$41,822
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,843
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$25,990
Earnings (5yr)
$58,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,331
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,627
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,869
Earnings (5yr)
$79,324
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (2yr)
$28,019
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$35,500
Earnings (5yr)
$50,213
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$37,415
Earnings (5yr)
$82,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$103,050
Earnings (5yr)
$121,923
Lifetime Value Added
+$586k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$38,702
Earnings (5yr)
$63,099
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$39,318
Earnings (5yr)
$99,841
Lifetime Value Added
+$397k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$59,916
Earnings (5yr)
$58,060
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Computer Engineering
MastCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$114,008
Lifetime Value Added
+$518k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$30,750
Earnings (5yr)
$57,130
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$75,204
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$83,629
Earnings (5yr)
$49,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$66,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,522
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$117,641
Lifetime Value Added
+$549k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$55,712
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$41,546
Earnings (5yr)
$59,597
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
$71,061
Earnings (5yr)
$52,057
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Graduate Certificates
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Gr-CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,469
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Doctoral Degrees
Curriculum and Instruction
DocCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$89,086
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$116,850
Lifetime Value Added
+$338k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
DocCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$155,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$616k
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$124,216
Earnings (5yr)
$86,479
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Medicine
DocCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$195,967
Earnings (5yr)
$154,173
Lifetime Value Added
+$607k
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
DocCIP: 5120
Median Debt
$175,359
Earnings (5yr)
$137,803
Lifetime Value Added
+$489k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$96,034
Earnings (5yr)
$85,628
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.