College of Alameda vs. Merritt College

Comparable Facts

Compare College of Alameda in Alameda, CA with Merritt College in Oakland, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Merritt College is larger than College of Alameda based on total student enrollment (7,022 students vs. 6,141 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Alameda is located in Alameda, CA (Large Suburban setting); Merritt College is in Oakland, CA (Large City setting).
• College of Alameda is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Merritt College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Alameda 38:1; Merritt College 33:1.

College of Alameda vs. Merritt College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Alameda or Merritt College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Alameda than Merritt College ($12,506 vs. $15,581).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at College of Alameda and Merritt College ($22,820).
• College of Alameda and Merritt College have the same published in-state tuition ($1,258.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is the same at College of Alameda as at Merritt College ($9,898.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of Alameda than at Merritt College (86% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of Alameda students is 8.3% larger than aid received by Merritt College students ($5,385 vs. $4,972).

College of Alameda vs. Merritt College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Alameda or Merritt College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Merritt College and College of Alameda.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: College of Alameda - Open admission; Merritt College - Open admission.

College of Alameda vs. Merritt College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of Alameda and Merritt College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Merritt College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than College of Alameda graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,800 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More College of Alameda graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Merritt College students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 27%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.