LSUS vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Louisiana State University Shreveport or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if LSUS or UC Merced is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Louisiana State University Shreveport vs. University of California Merced comparison
Louisiana State University Shreveport University of California Merced College 3 College 4
Louisiana State University Shreveport University of California Merced
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Overview

LSUS UC Merced
Location Shreveport, LA Merced, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,721 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #937 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsus.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

LSUS UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $5,656 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $5,656 $41,636
Room & Board $10,226 $19,340
Avg Net Price $7,587 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $9,929 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

LSUS UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 974 29,920
Admitted 866 26,766
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 89.5%
Enrolled % 35.3% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.38 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 19/24
SAT Range 1090/1140 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

LSUS UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

LSUS UC Merced
Graduation Rate 28% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,500 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 41% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $201 $205

Diversity

LSUS UC Merced
% Men 39% 51%
% Women 61% 49%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 13%
% Black 23% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 48%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

LSUS UC Merced
% In-State 90% 99%
% Out-of-State 5% 0%

Campus

LSUS UC Merced
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than LSUS based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 8,721 students)

LSUS vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSUS or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 104.5% more expensive to attend than LSUS for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,656.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 636.1% higher at UC Merced than Louisiana State University Shreveport ($41,636.00 vs. $5,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Louisiana State University Shreveport than UC Merced ($7,587 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University Shreveport are 89.1% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($10,226 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University Shreveport than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 160.5% larger than aid received Louisiana State University Shreveport ($25,868 vs. $9,929)

LSUS vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LSUS or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or LSUS .

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University Shreveport (1029) is 4 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at LSUS (22)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at LSUS (3.38)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than LSUS (88.9%)

LSUS vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSUS or UC Merced? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UC Merced and LSUS.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Louisiana State University Shreveport (58% vs. 28%)
  • Louisiana State University Shreveport students graduate with a $399 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($19,500 vs. $19,899)
  • LSUS graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($201 vs. $205)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSUS students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 41%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/