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UC Riverside UCSB UC Davis Cal Poly San Jose State San Diego State UCI UCSD SCU CSU Cal State Fullerton Cal State Long Beach| University of California Santa Cruz | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 19,478 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #222 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $11,564 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,185 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,975 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,202 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 83% |
Admission |
UCSC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 65,912 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 30,926 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 46.9% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.5% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 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 |
UCSC | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 23:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $205 |
Diversity |
UCSC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 50% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 50% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
UCSC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 0% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | 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 Santa Cruz is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 9,103 students)
UCSC vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or UC Merced?
- University of California Santa Cruz 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 UCSC 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 UCSC ($13,549 vs. $17,975)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Cruz are 6.4% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($18,185 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than University of California Santa Cruz (83% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 22% larger than aid received University of California Santa Cruz ($25,868 vs. $21,202)
UCSC vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 176 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than UCSC (46.9%)
UCSC vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of California Merced (73% vs. 58%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $60 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($19,899 vs. $19,959)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($205 vs. $206)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/