CSUMB vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

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

University of California Merced is larger than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 7,713 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Monterey Bay is located in Seaside, CA (Rural Fringe setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Monterey Bay 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 Monterey Bay 24:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Monterey Bay are 19.6% lower than at University of California Merced ($17,234 vs. $21,445).
• Out-of-state tuition is 144.5% higher at UC Merced than at California State University Monterey Bay (about $29,444 more per year; $49,823 vs. $20,379).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Merced than at California State University Monterey Bay (89% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 124% larger than aid received by California State University Monterey Bay students ($27,292 vs. $12,185).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 1 point higher at UC Merced than at CSUMB (21 vs. 20, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both CSUMB and UC Merced.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUMB Jan 15, 2027; UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at UC Merced average a 3.55 high school GPA, 0.1 higher than at CSUMB (3.45).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.8% at CSUMB vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Monterey Bay graduates have a $5,899 lower median loan debt than UC Merced graduates ($14,000 vs. $19,899).
• Among borrowers, CSUMB graduates have an estimated $61 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UC Merced graduates ($144 vs. $205).
• More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation (66% vs. 64%).

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