WNC vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Western Nevada College or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WNC 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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Western Nevada College vs. University of California Merced comparison
Western Nevada College University of California Merced College 3 College 4
University of California Merced
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Overview

 WNC UC Merced
Location Carson City, NV Merced, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,582 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wnc.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WNC UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $3,383 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $11,284 $41,636
Room & Board $13,950 $19,340
Avg Net Price $16,259 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $6,579 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 83%

Admission

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

Academics

 WNC UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (49%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

 WNC UC Merced
Graduation Rate - 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $33,700 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,316 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $117 $205

Diversity

 WNC UC Merced
% Men 46% 51%
% Women 54% 49%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 13%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 20% 48%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 WNC UC Merced
% In-State 98% 99%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than WNC based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 3,582 students)

WNC vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WNC or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 241.8% more expensive to attend than WNC for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $3,383.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 269% higher at UC Merced than Western Nevada College ($41,636.00 vs. $11,284.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than WNC ($13,549 vs. $16,259)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Nevada College are 38.6% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($13,950 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Nevada College than University of California Merced (91% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 293.2% larger than aid received Western Nevada College ($25,868 vs. $6,579)

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

WNC vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WNC 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 WNC.

  • Western Nevada College students graduate with a $8,583 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($11,316 vs. $19,899)
  • WNC graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($117 vs. $205)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WNC students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 30%)

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