A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at UC Merced are predominantly Hispanic with a sizeable Asian population. The school has very high racial diversity. 87% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
University of California Merced has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and is eligible for federal grants supporting the school's efforts to serve Hispanic Americans.
The college is an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) and is recognized for serving Asian Americans and Native American Pacific Islanders.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
13%
|
| Black |
5%
|
| Hispanic |
48%
|
| Asian |
23%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
1%
|
| Two or more races |
4%
|
| International |
5%
|
| Race Unknown |
1%
|
There are 6% more male students than female students enrolled at University of California Merced with a gender ratio of 51% men to 49% women. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, UC Merced has a higher gender diversity than other US colleges and is very inclusive of both genders.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
51%
|
| Women |
49%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
4,674
|
| Women |
4,429
|
UC Merced serves a very low number of students outside of California, with 99 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
99%
|
| Out of State |
0%
|
| Foreign |
1%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
59% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 2.1% |
| Part time Undergrads | 1.2% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=445188 IPEDS survey data for University of California Merced.