University of Northern Colorado vs. UC Merced

Should I go to University of Northern Colorado or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Northern Colorado or UC Merced is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of Northern Colorado vs. University of California Merced comparison
University of Northern Colorado University of California Merced College 3 College 4
University of Northern Colorado University of California Merced
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Overview

University of Northern Colorado UC Merced
Location Greeley, CO Merced, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,380 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #617 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unco.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Northern Colorado UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $8,750 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $22,140 $41,636
Room & Board $12,870 $19,340
Avg Net Price $18,310 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $8,813 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

University of Northern Colorado UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,107 29,920
Admitted 7,938 26,766
Acceptance Rate 78.5% 89.5%
Enrolled % 15% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/24
SAT Range 990/1200 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

University of Northern Colorado UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

University of Northern Colorado UC Merced
Graduation Rate 46% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,970 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $227 $205

Diversity

University of Northern Colorado UC Merced
% Men 31% 51%
% Women 69% 49%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 13%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 18% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 15% 1%

Students

University of Northern Colorado UC Merced
% In-State 82% 99%
% Out-of-State 17% 0%

Campus

University of Northern Colorado UC Merced
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Northern Colorado is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (9,380 students vs. 9,103 students)

University of Northern Colorado vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Northern Colorado or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 32.2% more expensive to attend than University of Northern Colorado for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $8,750.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.1% higher at UC Merced than University of Northern Colorado ($41,636.00 vs. $22,140.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than University of Northern Colorado ($13,549 vs. $18,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Colorado are 50.3% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($12,870 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Northern Colorado than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 193.5% larger than aid received University of Northern Colorado ($25,868 vs. $8,813)

University of Northern Colorado vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Northern Colorado or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or University of Northern Colorado .

  • The average SAT score at University of Northern Colorado (1031) is 6 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at University of Northern Colorado (22)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at University of Northern Colorado (3.53)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than University of Northern Colorado (78.5%)

University of Northern Colorado vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Northern Colorado 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 University of Northern Colorado.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than University of Northern Colorado (58% vs. 46%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $2,071 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Northern Colorado graduates. ($19,899 vs. $21,970)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than University of Northern Colorado graduates. ($205 vs. $227)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Northern Colorado students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/