Boise State vs. UC Merced

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

Boise State UC Merced
Location Boise, ID Merced, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 26,115 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #899 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website boisestate.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Boise State UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $5,532 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $22,869 $41,636
Room & Board $13,841 $19,340
Avg Net Price $17,724 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $9,892 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 83%

Admission

Boise State UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,795 29,920
Admitted 14,096 26,766
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 89.5%
Enrolled % 22.2% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/26 19/24
SAT Range 1030/1210 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 Aug 1, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Boise State UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Boise State UC Merced
Graduation Rate 29% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,929 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $237 $205

Diversity

Boise State UC Merced
% Men 42% 51%
% Women 58% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 13%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 48%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Boise State UC Merced
% In-State 59% 99%
% Out-of-State 40% 0%

Campus

Boise State UC Merced
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Boise State University is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (26,115 students vs. 9,103 students)

Boise State vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Boise State or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 109% more expensive to attend than Boise State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,532.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 82.1% higher at UC Merced than Boise State University ($41,636.00 vs. $22,869.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Boise State ($13,549 vs. $17,724)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boise State University are 39.7% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($13,841 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boise State University than University of California Merced (93% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 161.5% larger than aid received Boise State University ($25,868 vs. $9,892)

Boise State vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boise State University (1046) is 21 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming Boise State students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Boise State (3.37)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Boise State (83.9%)

Boise State vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Boise State 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 Boise State.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Boise State University (58% vs. 29%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $3,030 lower median federal student loan debt than Boise State graduates. ($19,899 vs. $22,929)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Boise State graduates. ($205 vs. $237)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Boise State students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 54%)

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