Vanguard University of Southern California vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Vanguard University of Southern California or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Vanguard University of Southern California 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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Vanguard University of Southern California vs. University of California Merced comparison
Vanguard University of Southern California University of California Merced College 3 College 4
University of California Merced
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Overview

Vanguard University of Southern California UC Merced
Location Costa Mesa, CA Merced, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,256 9,103
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #660 #605
Religious Affiliation Assemblies of God Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vanguard.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Vanguard University of Southern California UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $38,000 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $38,000 $41,636
Room & Board $10,290 $19,340
Avg Net Price $24,279 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $28,914 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

Vanguard University of Southern California UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,778 29,920
Admitted 2,079 26,766
Acceptance Rate 74.8% 89.5%
Enrolled % 26% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 19/24
SAT Range 980/1200 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

Vanguard University of Southern California UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Vanguard University of Southern California UC Merced
Graduation Rate 55% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,200 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $258 $205

Diversity

Vanguard University of Southern California UC Merced
% Men 33% 51%
% Women 67% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 13%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 36% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Vanguard University of Southern California UC Merced
% In-State 93% 99%
% Out-of-State 7% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than Vanguard University of Southern California based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 2,256 students)

Vanguard University of Southern California vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Vanguard University of Southern California or UC Merced?

  • Vanguard University of Southern California is 228.6% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($38,000.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.6% higher at UC Merced than Vanguard University of Southern California ($41,636.00 vs. $38,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Vanguard University of Southern California ($13,549 vs. $24,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vanguard University of Southern California are 87.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($10,290 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vanguard University of Southern California than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanguard University of Southern California students is 11.8% larger than aid received University of California Merced ($28,914 vs. $25,868)

Vanguard University of Southern California vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 50 points higher than at Vanguard University of Southern California (975)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Vanguard University of Southern California (21)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Vanguard University of Southern California (3.31)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Vanguard University of Southern California (74.8%)

Vanguard University of Southern California vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Vanguard University of Southern California 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 Vanguard University of Southern California.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Vanguard University of Southern California (58% vs. 55%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,101 lower median federal student loan debt than Vanguard University of Southern California graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,000)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than Vanguard University of Southern California graduates. ($205 vs. $258)
  • More Vanguard University of Southern California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 64%)

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