California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs. UC Merced

Should I go to California State Polytechnic University Pomona or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Cal State Long Beach UC Riverside San Jose State UCSC Cal Poly CSU UC Davis Cal State Fullerton San Diego State San Francisco State Sacramento State ASU
California State Polytechnic University Pomona vs. University of California Merced comparison
California State Polytechnic University Pomona University of California Merced College 3 College 4
California State Polytechnic University Pomona University of California Merced
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Merced
Location Pomona, CA Merced, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 27,503 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #550 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csupomona.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,330 $19,340
Avg Net Price $12,480 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $9,040 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 83%

Admission

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 49,079 29,920
Admitted 27,179 26,766
Acceptance Rate 55.4% 89.5%
Enrolled % 13.4% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/27 19/24
SAT Range 1010/1250 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 Nov 30, 2024 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Merced
Graduation Rate 50% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $196 $205

Diversity

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Merced
% Men 54% 51%
% Women 46% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 13%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 40% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Merced
% In-State 99% 99%
% Out-of-State 1% 0%

Campus

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Merced
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State Polytechnic University Pomona is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (27,503 students vs. 9,103 students)

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.3% higher at UC Merced than California State Polytechnic University Pomona ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State Polytechnic University Pomona than UC Merced ($12,480 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State Polytechnic University Pomona are 18.4% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,330 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State Polytechnic University Pomona (83% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 186.2% larger than aid received California State Polytechnic University Pomona ($25,868 vs. $9,040)

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California State Polytechnic University Pomona (1066) is 41 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming California State Polytechnic University-Pomona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UC Merced (23)
  • Accepted freshman California State Polytechnic University-Pomona students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (55.4%)

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 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 California State Polytechnic University-Pomona.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State Polytechnic University Pomona (58% vs. 50%)
  • California State Polytechnic University Pomona students graduate with a $899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($19,000 vs. $19,899)
  • California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($196 vs. $205)
  • More California State Polytechnic University-Pomona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 64%)

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