SCI-Arc vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Southern California Institute of Architecture or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SCI-Arc 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.
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Southern California Institute of Architecture vs. University of California Merced comparison
Southern California Institute of Architecture University of California Merced College 3 College 4
Southern California Institute of Architecture University of California Merced
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Overview

 SCI-Arc UC Merced
Location Los Angeles, CA Merced, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 507 9,103
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sciarc.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SCI-Arc UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $49,490 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $49,490 $41,636
Room & Board $13,440 $19,340
Avg Net Price $19,041 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $43,364 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 30% 83%

Admission

 SCI-Arc UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 513 29,920
Admitted 307 26,766
Acceptance Rate 59.8% 89.5%
Enrolled % 9.1% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/24
SAT Range 1020/1230 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 Jan 15, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 SCI-Arc UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Architecture (100%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

 SCI-Arc UC Merced
Graduation Rate 58% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $42,750 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $442 $205

Diversity

 SCI-Arc UC Merced
% Men 59% 51%
% Women 41% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 13% 13%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 51% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 SCI-Arc UC Merced
% In-State 29% 99%
% Out-of-State 14% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than SCI-Arc based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 507 students)

SCI-Arc vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCI-Arc or UC Merced?

  • Southern California Institute of Architecture is 328% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($49,490.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.9% higher at SCI-Arc than University of California Merced ($49,490.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than SCI-Arc ($13,549 vs. $19,041)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern California Institute of Architecture are 43.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($13,440 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Southern California Institute of Architecture (83% vs. 30%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern California Institute of Architecture students is 67.6% larger than aid received University of California Merced ($43,364 vs. $25,868)

SCI-Arc vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern California Institute of Architecture (1116) is 91 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming SCI-Arc students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UC Merced (23)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at SCI-Arc (3.5)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than SCI-Arc (59.8%)

SCI-Arc vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCI-Arc 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 SCI-Arc.

  • The graduation rate at SCI-Arc is the same as at University of California Merced (58% vs. 58%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $22,851 lower median federal student loan debt than SCI-Arc graduates. ($19,899 vs. $42,750)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $237 less per month on federal student loans than SCI-Arc graduates. ($205 vs. $442)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCI-Arc students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 62%)

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