Cal State LA vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA with University of California Merced in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

California State University Los Angeles is larger than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (23,163 students vs. 9,110 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Los Angeles is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Los Angeles 21:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Los Angeles are 8.2% lower than at University of California Merced ($19,696 vs. $21,445).
• Out-of-state tuition is 152.1% higher at UC Merced than at California State University Los Angeles (about $30,063 more per year; $49,823 vs. $19,760).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than at University of California Merced (94% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 97.4% larger than aid received by California State University Los Angeles students ($27,292 vs. $13,824).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 4 points higher at UC Merced than at Cal State LA (21 vs. 17, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both Cal State LA and UC Merced.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State LA Jan 19, 2027; UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at UC Merced average a 3.55 high school GPA, 0.24 higher than at Cal State LA (3.31).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.4% at Cal State LA vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Los Angeles graduates have a $6,979 lower median loan debt than UC Merced graduates ($12,920 vs. $19,899).
• Among borrowers, Cal State LA graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UC Merced graduates ($133 vs. $205).
• More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation (64% vs. 57%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.