UWT vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

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

University of California Merced is larger than UWT based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 4,965 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Washington Tacoma Campus is located in Tacoma, WA (Midsize City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of Washington Tacoma Campus 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 Washington Tacoma Campus 15:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Washington Tacoma Campus are 23.7% lower than at University of California Merced ($16,371 vs. $21,445).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.8% higher at UC Merced than at University of Washington Tacoma Campus (about $6,419 more per year; $49,823 vs. $43,404).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Merced than at University of Washington Tacoma Campus (89% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 124.4% larger than aid received by University of Washington Tacoma Campus students ($27,292 vs. $12,161).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 1 point higher at UC Merced than at UWT (21 vs. 20, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both UWT and UC Merced.
• Typical fall application deadline: UWT Jun 30, 2027; UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at UC Merced average a 3.55 high school GPA, 0.14 higher than at UWT (3.41).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.5% at UWT vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Washington Tacoma Campus graduates have a $4,899 lower median loan debt than UC Merced graduates ($15,000 vs. $19,899).
• Among borrowers, UWT graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UC Merced graduates ($155 vs. $205).
• More UWT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation (76% vs. 64%).

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