CSU Channel Islands vs. UC Merced

Should I go to California State University Channel Islands or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU Channel Islands 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.
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California State University Channel Islands vs. University of California Merced comparison
California State University Channel Islands University of California Merced College 3 College 4
California State University Channel Islands University of California Merced
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Overview

 CSU Channel Islands UC Merced
Location Camarillo, CA Merced, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,128 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuci.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Channel Islands UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,300 $19,340
Avg Net Price $13,540 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $9,412 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 83%

Admission

 CSU Channel Islands UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,420 29,920
Admitted 9,342 26,766
Acceptance Rate 89.7% 89.5%
Enrolled % 6.8% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.22 3.55
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition
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 Jul 30, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

 CSU Channel Islands UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

 CSU Channel Islands UC Merced
Graduation Rate 54% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,183 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $156 $205

Diversity

 CSU Channel Islands UC Merced
% Men 34% 51%
% Women 66% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 13%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 49% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

 CSU Channel Islands UC Merced
% In-State 99% 99%
% Out-of-State 1% 0%

Campus

 CSU Channel Islands 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 CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 6,128 students)

CSU Channel Islands vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Channel Islands or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than CSU Channel Islands 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 University Channel Islands ($41,636.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Channel Islands than UC Merced ($13,540 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Channel Islands are 18.7% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,300 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Channel Islands (83% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 174.8% larger than aid received California State University Channel Islands ($25,868 vs. $9,412)

CSU Channel Islands vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU Channel Islands or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or CSU Channel Islands .

  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22)
  • CSU Channel Islands has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than UC Merced (89.5%)

CSU Channel Islands vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU Channel Islands 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 CSU Channel Islands.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Channel Islands (58% vs. 54%)
  • California State University Channel Islands students graduate with a $4,716 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($15,183 vs. $19,899)
  • CSU Channel Islands graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($156 vs. $205)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 64%)

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