Northwest vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Northwest Missouri State University or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwest or UC Merced is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Northwest Missouri State University vs. University of California Merced comparison
Northwest Missouri State University University of California Merced College 3 College 4
Northwest Missouri State University University of California Merced
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Northwest UC Merced
Location Maryville, MO Merced, CA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,505 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #914 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwmissouri.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwest UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $6,015 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $12,082 $41,636
Room & Board $10,428 $19,340
Avg Net Price $14,197 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $8,387 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 83%

Admission

Northwest UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,877 29,920
Admitted 5,884 26,766
Acceptance Rate 85.6% 89.5%
Enrolled % 18.6% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.45 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/24
SAT Range 938/1158 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

Northwest UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Agriculture (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Northwest UC Merced
Graduation Rate 49% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,200 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $258 $205

Diversity

Northwest UC Merced
% Men 38% 51%
% Women 62% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 13%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northwest UC Merced
% In-State 65% 99%
% Out-of-State 33% 0%

Campus

Northwest UC Merced
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than Northwest based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 8,505 students)

Northwest vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwest or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 92.3% more expensive to attend than Northwest for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $6,015.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 244.6% higher at UC Merced than Northwest Missouri State University ($41,636.00 vs. $12,082.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Northwest ($13,549 vs. $14,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest Missouri State University are 85.5% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($10,428 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwest Missouri State University than University of California Merced (95% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 208.4% larger than aid received Northwest Missouri State University ($25,868 vs. $8,387)

Northwest vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northwest or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Northwest .

  • The average SAT score at Northwest Missouri State University (1047) is 22 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming Northwest students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Northwest (3.45)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Northwest (85.6%)

Northwest vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwest 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 Northwest.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Northwest Missouri State University (58% vs. 49%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,101 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwest graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,000)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than Northwest graduates. ($205 vs. $258)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwest students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/