by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Mercer first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at Mercer. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 82% students making it past their freshmen year, Mercer has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Georgia, the average is 65.40%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Mercer | 82% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Georgia | 65.40% |
Of the 988 students in the class of 2023, how many completed their degree on time?
Four years after beginning their degree, 60% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 66% of the students had graduated and after eight years 67% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Mercer graduation rate 66%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 895 | 60% |
| Six Years | 988 | 66% |
| Eight Years | 14 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 484 | 33% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 484 students or 33% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 484 students who did not complete their degree?
4 are still enrolled.
219 transferred to another institution.
Mercer lost contact with the remaining 256 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 0.8% |
| Transferred | 219 | 45.2% |
| Dropped Out | 256 | 52.9% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 67% |
| Asian | 84% |
| Black / African-American | 71% |
| Hispanic | 63% |
| International | 80% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 61% |
| Unknown | 58% |
| White | 75% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
The majority of students at Mercer are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Mercer University represent 55.89% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mercer graduation rate was 73%, and by the eight year mark, 74% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Mercer | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 67% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 73% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 74% | 47.82% |
216 first-time / full-time students or 26% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
163 transferred to another institution.
Mercer lost contact with the remaining 49 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.85% |
| Transferred | 163 | 75.46% |
| Dropped Out | 49 | 22.69% |
First-time / part-time students at Mercer University represent 2.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mercer graduation rate was 12%, and by the eight year mark, 17% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Mercer | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 12% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 17% | 23.72% |
35 first-time / part-time students or 83% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
3 transferred to another institution.
Mercer lost contact with the remaining 31 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 2.86% |
| Transferred | 3 | 8.57% |
| Dropped Out | 31 | 88.57% |
Returning / full-time students at Mercer University represent 28.71% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mercer graduation rate was 70%, and by the eight year mark, 71% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Mercer | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 70% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 71% | 55.07% |
126 non first-time / part-time students or 29% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
41 transferred to another institution.
Mercer lost contact with the remaining 85 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 41 | 32.54% |
| Dropped Out | 85 | 67.46% |
Returning / part-time students at Mercer University represent 12.58% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Mercer graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 43% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Mercer | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 40% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 43% | 37.80% |
107 non first-time / part-time students or 57% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
12 transferred to another institution.
Mercer lost contact with the remaining 91 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 3.74% |
| Transferred | 12 | 11.21% |
| Dropped Out | 91 | 85.05% |
