Sacramento State vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Sacramento in Sacramento, 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 Sacramento is larger than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (31,943 students vs. 9,110 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Sacramento is located in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Sacramento 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 Sacramento 24:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Sacramento are 10.6% lower than at University of California Merced ($19,174 vs. $21,445).
• Out-of-state tuition is 141.6% higher at UC Merced than at California State University Sacramento (about $29,205 more per year; $49,823 vs. $20,618).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Merced than at California State University Sacramento (89% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 113.8% larger than aid received by California State University Sacramento students ($27,292 vs. $12,767).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 1 point higher at UC Merced than at Sacramento State (21 vs. 20, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both Sacramento State and UC Merced.
• Typical fall application deadline: Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026; UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at UC Merced average a 3.55 high school GPA, 0.13 higher than at Sacramento State (3.42).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.3% at Sacramento State vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Sacramento graduates have a $4,149 lower median loan debt than UC Merced graduates ($15,750 vs. $19,899).
• Among borrowers, Sacramento State graduates have an estimated $43 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UC Merced graduates ($162 vs. $205).
• More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sacramento State students, three years after graduation (64% vs. 64%).

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