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UC Riverside UNM UCSC UTEP CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State| New Mexico State University Main Campus | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NMSU | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Las Cruces, NM | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 14,268 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #811 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nmsu.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NMSU | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $6,283 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,407 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,252 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $10,407 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $13,168 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 95% | 83% |
Admission |
NMSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,860 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 12,378 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 78% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.8% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.55 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/23 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 900/1140 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
NMSU | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NMSU | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 46% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 44% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,118 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $176 | $205 |
Diversity |
NMSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 30% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 55% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
NMSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 72% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 25% | 0% | ||
Campus |
NMSU | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- New Mexico State University Main Campus is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (14,268 students vs. 9,103 students)
NMSU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NMSU or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 84.1% more expensive to attend than NMSU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $6,283.00)
- Out of state tuition is 77.9% higher at UC Merced than New Mexico State University Main Campus ($41,636.00 vs. $23,407.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New Mexico State University Main Campus than UC Merced ($10,407 vs. $13,549)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New Mexico State University Main Campus are 71.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,252 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at New Mexico State University Main Campus than University of California Merced (95% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 96.4% larger than aid received New Mexico State University Main Campus ($25,868 vs. $13,168)
NMSU vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NMSU or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or NMSU .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 42 points higher than at NMSU (983)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NMSU (21)
- Accepted freshman NMSU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.55) as students at UC Merced (3.55)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than NMSU (78%)
NMSU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NMSU 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 NMSU.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than New Mexico State University Main Campus (58% vs. 46%)
- New Mexico State University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,781 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($17,118 vs. $19,899)
- NMSU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($176 vs. $205)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NMSU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 44%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/