UC Merced vs. Oak Valley College

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Merced in Merced, CA with Oak Valley College in Rialto, California on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

University of California Merced is larger than Oak Valley College based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 75 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Merced is located in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Oak Valley College is in Rialto, California (Large Suburban setting).
• University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Oak Valley College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Merced 20:1; Oak Valley College 7:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oak Valley College are 48.5% lower than at University of California Merced ($11,054 vs. $21,445).
• Out-of-state tuition is 106.1% higher at UC Merced than at Oak Valley College (about $25,643 more per year; $49,823 vs. $24,180).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Oak Valley College than at University of California Merced (100% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 113.4% larger than aid received by Oak Valley College students ($27,292 vs. $12,791).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at UC Merced, open admission at Oak Valley College.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.

Loans and repayment

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.