UC Riverside vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

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

University of California Riverside is larger than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (26,384 students vs. 9,110 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Riverside is located in Riverside, CA (Large City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of California Riverside is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Riverside 22:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Riverside are 3.5% lower than at University of California Merced ($20,691 vs. $21,445).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0% higher at UC Merced than at University of California Riverside (about $17 more per year; $49,823 vs. $49,806).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Merced than at University of California Riverside (89% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 12.1% larger than aid received by University of California Riverside students ($27,292 vs. $24,355).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 5 points higher at UC Riverside than at UC Merced (26 vs. 21, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both UC Riverside and UC Merced.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Riverside Nov 30, 2026; UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at UC Riverside average a 3.84 high school GPA, 0.29 higher than at UC Merced (3.55).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.2% at UC Riverside vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Riverside graduates have a $790 lower median loan debt than UC Merced graduates ($19,109 vs. $19,899).
• Among borrowers, UC Riverside graduates have an estimated $8 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UC Merced graduates ($197 vs. $205).
• More UC Riverside graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation (65% vs. 64%).

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