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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| Pacific Union College | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
PUC | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Angwin, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 870 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #605 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | Seventh Day Adventists | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | puc.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
PUC | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $32,655 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,655 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,273 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,841 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $23,383 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 83% |
Admission |
PUC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,364 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 661 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 48.5% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.9% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.24 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 990/1200 | 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 |
PUC | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
PUC | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 45% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,200 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 57% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $30,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $310 | $205 |
Diversity |
PUC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 26% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 28% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
PUC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 21% | 0% | ||
Campus |
PUC | 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 PUC based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 870 students)
PUC vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, PUC or UC Merced?
- Pacific Union College is 182.4% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($32,655.00 vs. $11,564.00)
- Out of state tuition is 27.5% higher at UC Merced than Pacific Union College ($41,636.00 vs. $32,655.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than PUC ($13,549 vs. $21,841)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Union College are 108.6% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($9,273 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Union College than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 10.6% larger than aid received Pacific Union College ($25,868 vs. $23,383)
PUC vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, PUC or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or PUC .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 41 points higher than at PUC (984)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PUC (21)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at PUC (3.24)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than PUC (48.5%)
PUC vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, PUC 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 PUC.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Pacific Union College (58% vs. 45%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $10,101 lower median federal student loan debt than PUC graduates. ($19,899 vs. $30,000)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than PUC graduates. ($205 vs. $310)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PUC students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/