Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach Sacramento State| La Sierra University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
La Sierra University | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Riverside, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 1,614 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #645 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Seventh Day Adventists | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | lasierra.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
La Sierra University | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $33,912 | $11,564 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $33,912 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,325 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,076 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,867 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 83% |
Admission |
La Sierra University | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,878 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 1,725 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 91.9% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.1% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.54 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/28 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 880/1140 | 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 |
Academics |
La Sierra University | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 19:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
La Sierra University | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 32% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,900 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 52% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $30,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $310 | $205 |
Diversity |
La Sierra University | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 14% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 48% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 11% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
La Sierra University | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 84% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 0% | ||
Campus |
La Sierra University | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California Merced is larger than than La Sierra University based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 1,614 students)
La Sierra University vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, La Sierra University or UC Merced?
- La Sierra University is 193.3% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($33,912.00 vs. $11,564.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22.8% higher at UC Merced than La Sierra University ($41,636.00 vs. $33,912.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than La Sierra University ($13,549 vs. $25,076)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at La Sierra University are 70.8% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,325 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at La Sierra University than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 18.3% larger than aid received La Sierra University ($25,868 vs. $21,867)
La Sierra University vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, La Sierra University or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or La Sierra University .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 96 points higher than at La Sierra University (929)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at La Sierra University (19)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at La Sierra University (3.54)
- La Sierra University has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than UC Merced (89.5%)
La Sierra University vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, La Sierra University 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 La Sierra University.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than La Sierra University (58% vs. 32%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $10,101 lower median federal student loan debt than La Sierra University graduates. ($19,899 vs. $30,000)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than La Sierra University graduates. ($205 vs. $310)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former La Sierra University students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 52%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/