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UC Riverside Sacramento State UCSC San Francisco State Humboldt State University San Jose State UC Davis Cal State Fullerton Sonoma State University California State University-Fresno San Diego State Cal Poly| California State University Chico | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CSU | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Chico, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 14,183 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #659 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csuchico.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSU | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,212 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,517 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,162 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 83% |
Admission |
CSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,417 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 20,347 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 9.9% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1170 | 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 | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CSU | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 59% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $205 |
Diversity |
CSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 29% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
CSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 0% | ||
Campus |
CSU | 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 Chico is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (14,183 students vs. 9,103 students)
CSU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSU or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than CSU 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 Chico ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than CSU ($13,549 vs. $15,517)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Chico are 27.1% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($15,212 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Chico (83% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 182.3% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($25,868 vs. $9,162)
CSU vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CSU or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or CSU .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 22 points higher than at CSU (1003)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (22)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at CSU (3.37)
- CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than UC Merced (89.5%)
CSU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CSU 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.
- The graduation rate at CSU is higher than University of California Merced (59% vs. 58%)
- California State University Chico students graduate with a $2,899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($17,000 vs. $19,899)
- CSU graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($175 vs. $205)
- More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/