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USD San Diego State UCSB UCI UCLA UC Davis UW-Seattle UC Riverside UC Berkeley Purdue UCSC Michigan| University of California San Diego | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSD | UC Merced | ||
| Location | La Jolla, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 42,006 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #89 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsd.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSD | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,710 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,111 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $20,782 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 83% |
Admission |
UCSD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 131,197 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 31,103 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 23.7% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | |||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2023 | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
UCSD | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSD | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $67,900 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,500 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $191 | $205 |
Diversity |
UCSD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 50% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 50% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 21% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 17% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
UCSD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 81% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 0% | ||
Campus |
UCSD | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California San Diego is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (42,006 students vs. 9,103 students)
UCSD vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSD or UC Merced?
- University of California San Diego and UC Merced cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,564.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at UCSD as University of California Merced ($41,636.00 vs. $41,636.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than UCSD ($13,549 vs. $16,111)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California San Diego are 15.7% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,710 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than University of California San Diego (83% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 24.5% larger than aid received University of California San Diego ($25,868 vs. $20,782)
UCSD vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSD or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or UCSD .
- The average SAT score at University of California San Diego (1344) is 319 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming UCSD students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman UCSD students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than UCSD (23.7%)
UCSD vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSD 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 UCSD.
- The graduation rate at UCSD is higher than University of California Merced (85% vs. 58%)
- University of California San Diego students graduate with a $1,399 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,899)
- UCSD graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($191 vs. $205)
- More UCSD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/