Black Hills State University vs. UC Merced

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

Black Hills State University UC Merced
Location Spearfish, SD Merced, CA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,425 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1006 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bhsu.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Black Hills State University UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $7,700 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $10,800 $41,636
Room & Board $7,528 $19,340
Avg Net Price $16,782 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $4,986 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

Black Hills State University UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,579 29,920
Admitted 1,526 26,766
Acceptance Rate 96.6% 89.5%
Enrolled % 31.5% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.22 3.55
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/24
SAT Range 970/1085 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

Black Hills State University UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Black Hills State University UC Merced
Graduation Rate 28% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,800 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,478 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $263 $205

Diversity

Black Hills State University UC Merced
% Men 37% 51%
% Women 63% 49%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 13%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 48%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Black Hills State University UC Merced
% In-State 57% 99%
% Out-of-State 42% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than Black Hills State University based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 3,425 students)

Black Hills State University vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Black Hills State University or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 50.2% more expensive to attend than Black Hills State University for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $7,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 285.5% higher at UC Merced than Black Hills State University ($41,636.00 vs. $10,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Black Hills State University ($13,549 vs. $16,782)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Black Hills State University are 156.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($7,528 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Black Hills State University than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 418.8% larger than aid received Black Hills State University ($25,868 vs. $4,986)

Black Hills State University vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 37 points higher than at Black Hills State University (988)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Black Hills State University (21)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Black Hills State University (3.22)
  • Black Hills State University has a higher acceptance rate (96.6%) than UC Merced (89.5%)

Black Hills State University vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Black Hills State University 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 Black Hills State University.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Black Hills State University (58% vs. 28%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,579 lower median federal student loan debt than Black Hills State University graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,478)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Black Hills State University graduates. ($205 vs. $263)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Black Hills State University students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 62%)

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