CIIS vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA with University of California Merced in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

University of California Merced is larger than CIIS based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 1,874 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California Institute of Integral Studies is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California Institute of Integral Studies 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 Institute of Integral Studies 15:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Cost details

• Out-of-state tuition differs between UC Merced and California Institute of Integral Studies ($49,823 vs. $0).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Merced than at California Institute of Integral Studies (89% vs. 0%).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are not reported at CIIS, test-free at UC Merced.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, California Institute of Integral Studies graduates have a $1,149 lower median loan debt than UC Merced graduates ($18,750 vs. $19,899).
• Among borrowers, CIIS graduates have an estimated $12 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UC Merced graduates ($193 vs. $205).
• More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CIIS students, three years after graduation (64% vs. 45%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.