California College of the Arts vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA with University of California Merced in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Merced is larger than California College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 1,308 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

California College of the Arts vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or UC Merced? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than California College of the Arts ($13,690 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Merced are 3% lower than at California College of the Arts ($21,445 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 285.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UC Merced (about $44,603 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $15,623.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 20.9% higher at California College of the Arts than at University of California Merced (about $10,403 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $49,823.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California College of the Arts than at University of California Merced (96% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 20.7% larger than aid received by University of California Merced students ($32,953 vs. $27,292).

California College of the Arts vs. UC Merced Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California College of the Arts or UC Merced? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UC Merced and California College of the Arts.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of California Merced 960/1140.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of California Merced 19/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; UC Merced - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at California College of the Arts (3.34).
• California College of the Arts has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than UC Merced (90.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

California College of the Arts vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California College of the Arts and UC Merced? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• University of California Merced's six-year graduation rate (58%) is higher than California College of the Arts's (49%).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Merced graduates have a $8,101 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($19,899 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, UC Merced graduates have an estimated $84 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($205 vs. $289).
• More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.