Art Center College of Design vs. UC Merced

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

 Art Center College of Design UC Merced
Location Pasadena, CA Merced, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,382 9,147
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #542
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website artcenter.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Art Center College of Design UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $50,606 $11,834
Tuition (Out of State) $50,606 $42,611
Room & Board $17,272 $20,293
Avg Net Price $53,306 $13,232
Avg Grant Aid $18,219 $24,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 81%

Admission

 Art Center College of Design UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,339 67,891
Admitted 1,004 26,598
Acceptance Rate 75% 39.2%
Enrolled % 32.1% 9.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.55
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 19/24
SAT Range 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, 2025

Academics

 Art Center College of Design UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Communications Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (3%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

 Art Center College of Design UC Merced
Graduation Rate 54% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $323 $205

Diversity

 Art Center College of Design UC Merced
% Men 6% 5%
% Women 7% 4%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 18% 13%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 27% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Art Center College of Design UC Merced
% In-State 45% 99%
% Out-of-State 8% 0%

Campus

 Art Center College of Design UC Merced
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 2,382 students)

Art Center College of Design vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or UC Merced?

  • Art Center College of Design is 327.6% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($50,606.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.8% higher at Art Center College of Design than University of California Merced ($50,606.00 vs. $42,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Art Center College of Design ($13,232 vs. $53,306)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Center College of Design are 17.5% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($17,272 vs. $20,293)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Art Center College of Design (81% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 36.5% larger than aid received Art Center College of Design ($24,868 vs. $18,219)

Art Center College of Design vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Art Center College of Design has a higher acceptance rate (75%) than UC Merced (39.2%)

Art Center College of Design vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Art Center College of Design 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 Art Center College of Design.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Art Center College of Design (58% vs. 54%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $11,351 lower median federal student loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates. ($19,899 vs. $31,250)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $118 less per month on federal student loans than Art Center College of Design graduates. ($205 vs. $323)
  • More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 64%)

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