“Oldest private university in Georgia, an R2 research university with 12 colleges and schools.”
Mercer University, founded in 1833, is a private research university based in Macon, Georgia, with additional campuses in Atlanta and Savannah. Although Mercer's residential undergraduate enrollment is a comparatively intimate ~4,700 (with around 9,000 students across the system), the university punches well above its weight academically — it is one of only 24 schools in the nation with under 9,000 students that houses both medical and engineering schools, plus law, business, theology, music, education, nursing, pharmacy, and the liberal arts. The Macon campus sits on roughly 150 acres of historic, tree-lined Bear Country about 85 miles south of Atlanta, where Greek life, the Mercer Bears in the Southern Conference, BearStock music festival, the Penfield Pilgrimage, and Founders' Day shape an old-South college experience that emphasizes service-learning, undergraduate research, and faith-rooted leadership. U.S. News repeatedly ranks Mercer as a top value among national universities, and the School of Engineering and Georgia Baptist College of Nursing are perennial standouts. For international students, Mercer combines small-college support — students from more than 50 countries — with predictable, sticker-cutting merit aid (most international freshmen receive $18,000–$28,000+/year) and a fully staffed International Student & Scholar Services office. STEM-designated engineering, computer science, and business analytics majors qualify graduates for the 24-month STEM OPT extension.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Research Activity
Carnegie Classifications (2021)
Engineering Goldwaters
Mercer
Military Friendly School
Military Friendly
Student-Athlete Academic Achievement
Mercer
Peace Corps Prep Partner Schools
Peace Corps
National Universities
U.S. News & World Report 2026
Undergraduate Engineering
U.S. News & World Report
Military Friendly School
Mercer University
Research Classification
Carnegie Classification
Community Engagement
Carnegie Foundation
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action I
Non-binding; decisions released mid-November
Early Action II
Non-binding; decisions released mid-December
Regular Decision
Decisions released within the same month
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$42,312
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
ABET-accredited engineering school consistently ranked among top U.S. programs at universities whose terminal degree is the bachelor's or master's. Offers Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial, Mechanical, and Software Engineering — all STEM-OPT eligible.
AACSB-accredited (top 5% of business programs worldwide). Offers BBA majors in Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Management, and Business Analytics.
One of Georgia's most respected nursing schools, with a BSN that is consistently among Mercer's most-applied-to majors and very strong NCLEX pass rates.
Mercer's largest college, housing biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, psychology, and the humanities. Strong feeder for Mercer's medical, dental, and law schools.
Selective conservatory-style music school with rigorous performance and music-education programs and an active recital calendar.
Best Undergraduate Engineering recognized by U.S. News; No. 1 in Engineering Goldwaters.
Best Undergraduate Nursing recognized by U.S. News.
Best Undergraduate Business recognized by U.S. News.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $42,312
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
