CSU Bakersfield vs. UC Merced

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

 CSU Bakersfield UC Merced
Location Bakersfield, CA Merced, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,613 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csub.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Bakersfield UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $14,230 $19,340
Avg Net Price $7,521 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $10,750 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 83%

Admission

 CSU Bakersfield UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,834 29,920
Admitted 11,973 26,766
Acceptance Rate 86.5% 89.5%
Enrolled % 9.2% 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) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 CSU Bakersfield UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

 CSU Bakersfield UC Merced
Graduation Rate 41% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,168 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $136 $205

Diversity

 CSU Bakersfield UC Merced
% Men 33% 51%
% Women 67% 49%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 20% 13%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 54% 48%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 CSU Bakersfield UC Merced
% In-State 96% 99%
% Out-of-State 1% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Bakersfield is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (9,613 students vs. 9,103 students)

CSU Bakersfield vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Bakersfield or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than CSU Bakersfield for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Merced than California State University Bakersfield ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Bakersfield than UC Merced ($7,521 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Bakersfield are 35.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($14,230 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Bakersfield than University of California Merced (88% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 140.6% larger than aid received California State University Bakersfield ($25,868 vs. $10,750)

CSU Bakersfield vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than CSU Bakersfield (86.5%)

CSU Bakersfield vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU Bakersfield 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 CSU Bakersfield.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Bakersfield (58% vs. 41%)
  • California State University Bakersfield students graduate with a $6,731 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($13,168 vs. $19,899)
  • CSU Bakersfield graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($136 vs. $205)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Bakersfield students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 54%)

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