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Idaho UC Riverside UCSC Washington State CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona MSU| Boise State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Boise State | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Boise, ID | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 26,670 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #886 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | boisestate.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Boise State | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,941 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,135 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,610 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,037 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,167 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 81% |
Admission |
Boise State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,949 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 13,391 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 84% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| 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, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Boise State | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 21:1 | ||
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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 | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 4% | ||
| 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 | 65% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 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 (26,670 students vs. 9,147 students)
Boise State vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Boise State or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 99.2% more expensive to attend than Boise State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,941.00)
- Out of state tuition is 76.6% higher at UC Merced than Boise State University ($42,611.00 vs. $24,135.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Boise State ($13,232 vs. $19,037)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boise State University are 22.2% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,610 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Boise State University (81% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 204.5% larger than aid received Boise State University ($24,868 vs. $8,167)
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)
- Boise State has a higher acceptance rate (84%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
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/