UC Merced vs. Minerva

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Merced in Merced, CA with Minerva University in San Francisco, California on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Merced is larger than Minerva based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 669 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Merced is located in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Minerva University is in San Francisco, California (Large City setting).
• University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Minerva University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Merced 20:1; Minerva University 14:1.

UC Merced vs. Minerva Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Merced or Minerva? 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 Minerva University than UC Merced ($13,324 vs. $13,690).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minerva University are 26.6% lower than at University of California Merced ($15,750 vs. $21,445).
• Minerva University is 51.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than UC Merced (about $8,007 more per year; $23,630.00 vs. $15,623.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 110.8% higher at UC Merced than at Minerva University (about $26,193 more per year; $49,823.00 vs. $23,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Merced than at Minerva University (89% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 21.2% larger than aid received by Minerva University students ($27,292 vs. $22,522).

UC Merced vs. Minerva Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Merced or Minerva? 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 Minerva 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; Minerva - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than Minerva (3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 7.2% at UC Merced vs. 43.6% at Minerva.

UC Merced vs. Minerva Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UC Merced and Minerva? 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).

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.