Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Merced

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

Cal State Long Beach UC Merced
Location Long Beach, CA Merced, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 38,973 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #507 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csulb.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Long Beach UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $14,932 $19,340
Avg Net Price $9,346 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $9,478 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 83%

Admission

Cal State Long Beach UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,718 29,920
Admitted 29,851 26,766
Acceptance Rate 40% 89.5%
Enrolled % 18% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.55
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 19/24
SAT Range 1020/1240 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 Long Beach UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Cal State Long Beach UC Merced
Graduation Rate 54% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $155 $205

Diversity

Cal State Long Beach UC Merced
% Men 41% 51%
% Women 59% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 13%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 39% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Cal State Long Beach UC Merced
% In-State 97% 99%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (38,973 students vs. 9,103 students)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Long Beach or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach ($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 Long Beach than UC Merced ($9,346 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 29.5% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($14,932 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Long Beach (83% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 172.9% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($25,868 vs. $9,478)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach .

  • The average SAT score at California State University Long Beach (1056) is 31 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming Cal State Long Beach students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Long Beach students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Cal State Long Beach (40%)

Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Long Beach (58% vs. 54%)
  • California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $4,899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,899)
  • Cal State Long Beach graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($155 vs. $205)
  • More Cal State Long Beach 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/