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UC Riverside San Diego State Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Jose State CSU UC Davis California State University-San Marcos California State University-San Bernardino Cal Poly San Francisco State Sacramento State| California State University Fullerton | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State Fullerton | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Fullerton, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 40,386 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #699 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | fullerton.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State Fullerton | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,702 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,925 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,194 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 74% | 83% |
Admission |
Cal State Fullerton | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 48,748 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 32,527 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 66.7% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.2% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.77 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1180 | 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 | Nov 30, 2023 | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
Cal State Fullerton | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 24:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State Fullerton | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $205 |
Diversity |
Cal State Fullerton | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 22% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
Cal State Fullerton | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Cal State Fullerton | 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 Fullerton is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 9,103 students)
Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton 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 Fullerton ($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 Fullerton than UC Merced ($7,925 vs. $13,549)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 15.8% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,702 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Fullerton (83% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 181.4% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($25,868 vs. $9,194)
Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Cal State Fullerton .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 1 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
- Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)
Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State Fullerton 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 Cal State Fullerton.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Fullerton (58% vs. 50%)
- California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $4,899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,899)
- Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($155 vs. $205)
- More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/