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San Francisco State UC Riverside San Jose State CSU UCSC Cal State East Bay California State University-Fresno UC Davis Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly Sonoma State University| California State University Sacramento | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Sacramento State | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Sacramento, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 31,818 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #850 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csus.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Sacramento State | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,278 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,596 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,590 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 83% |
Admission |
Sacramento State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,276 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 23,559 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 93.2% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.6% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/23 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 930/1130 | 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 |
Sacramento State | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 24:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Sacramento State | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 42% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,000 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,750 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $162 | $205 |
Diversity |
Sacramento State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 29% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 29% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 6% | 1% |
Students |
Sacramento State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 98% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Sacramento State | 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 Sacramento is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (31,818 students vs. 9,103 students)
Sacramento State vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Sacramento State 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 Sacramento ($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 Sacramento than UC Merced ($11,596 vs. $13,549)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Sacramento are 18.8% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,278 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Sacramento (83% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 169.7% larger than aid received California State University Sacramento ($25,868 vs. $9,590)
Sacramento State vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Sacramento State or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Sacramento State .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 77 points higher than at Sacramento State (948)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Sacramento State (20)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Sacramento State (3.42)
- Sacramento State has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than UC Merced (89.5%)
Sacramento State vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Sacramento State 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 Sacramento State.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Sacramento (58% vs. 42%)
- California State University Sacramento students graduate with a $4,149 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($15,750 vs. $19,899)
- Sacramento State graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans 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 https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/