UC Merced vs. Los Angeles College of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Merced in Merced, CA with Los Angeles College of Music in Pasadena, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Merced is larger than Los Angeles College of Music based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 261 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Merced is located in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Los Angeles College of Music is in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting).
• University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Los Angeles College of Music is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Merced 20:1; Los Angeles College of Music 3:1.

UC Merced vs. Los Angeles College of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Merced or Los Angeles College of Music? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Los Angeles College of Music ($13,690 vs. $44,586).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Merced are 2.9% lower than at Los Angeles College of Music ($21,445 vs. $22,086).
• Los Angeles College of Music is 95.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UC Merced (about $14,917 more per year; $30,540.00 vs. $15,623.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 63.1% higher at UC Merced than at Los Angeles College of Music (about $19,283 more per year; $49,823.00 vs. $30,540.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Merced than at Los Angeles College of Music (89% vs. 72%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 393.3% larger than aid received by Los Angeles College of Music students ($27,292 vs. $5,532).

UC Merced vs. Los Angeles College of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Merced or Los Angeles College of Music? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Los Angeles College of Music and UC Merced.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Merced 960/1140.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Merced 19/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UC Merced - Test-free; Los Angeles College of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than Los Angeles College of Music (87.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 7.2% at UC Merced vs. 18.1% at Los Angeles College of Music.

UC Merced vs. Los Angeles College of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UC Merced and Los Angeles College of Music? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Los Angeles College of Music students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 49%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.