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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State South Dakota State University Cal State Long Beach| University of South Dakota | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
USD | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Vermillion, SD | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 9,856 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #597 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usd.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USD | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,773 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $11,283 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $8,224 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,378 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,308 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 79% | 83% |
Admission |
USD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 4,480 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 4,456 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 99.5% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29.8% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.43 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1020/1300 | 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 | Nov 30, 2023 |
Academics |
USD | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USD | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 47% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,200 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $205 |
Diversity |
USD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 85% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
USD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 54% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 0% | ||
Campus |
USD | 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 South Dakota is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (9,856 students vs. 9,103 students)
USD vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USD or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 48.8% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $7,773.00)
- Out of state tuition is 269% higher at UC Merced than University of South Dakota ($41,636.00 vs. $11,283.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than USD ($13,549 vs. $18,378)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 135.2% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($8,224 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than University of South Dakota (83% vs. 79%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 310.1% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($25,868 vs. $6,308)
USD vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USD or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or USD .
- The average SAT score at University of South Dakota (1049) is 24 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming USD students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at USD (3.43)
- USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than UC Merced (89.5%)
USD vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USD 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 USD.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than University of South Dakota (58% vs. 47%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,101 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,000)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($205 vs. $258)
- More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/