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UC Riverside UCSC California College of the Arts CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Ringling College of Art and Design San Francisco State| California Institute of the Arts | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CalArts | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Valencia, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 1,440 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #605 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calarts.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CalArts | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,440 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,440 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,446 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $55,225 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $20,474 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 59% | 83% |
Admission |
CalArts | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,120 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 525 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 24.8% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36% | 8.9% | ||
| 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 | Jan 5, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
CalArts | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CalArts | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $28,500 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $294 | $205 |
Diversity |
CalArts | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 38% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 62% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 8% | 1% |
Students |
CalArts | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 32% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 38% | 0% | ||
Campus |
CalArts | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California Merced is larger than than CalArts based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 1,440 students)
CalArts vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CalArts or UC Merced?
- California Institute of the Arts is 370.8% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($54,440.00 vs. $11,564.00)
- Out of state tuition is 30.8% higher at CalArts than University of California Merced ($54,440.00 vs. $41,636.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than CalArts ($13,549 vs. $55,225)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 55.4% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($12,446 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California Institute of the Arts (83% vs. 59%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 26.3% larger than aid received California Institute of the Arts ($25,868 vs. $20,474)
CalArts vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CalArts or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or CalArts .
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than CalArts (24.8%)
CalArts vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CalArts 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 CalArts.
- The graduation rate at CalArts is higher than University of California Merced (65% vs. 58%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $8,601 lower median federal student loan debt than CalArts graduates. ($19,899 vs. $28,500)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $89 less per month on federal student loans than CalArts graduates. ($205 vs. $294)
- More CalArts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/