CSUDH vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA with University of California Merced in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Dominguez Hills is larger than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (15,182 students vs. 9,110 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, CA (Small City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Dominguez Hills 21:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

CSUDH vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSUDH 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 California State University Dominguez Hills than UC Merced ($9,175 vs. $13,690).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Dominguez Hills are 14% lower than at University of California Merced ($18,444 vs. $21,445).
• University of California Merced is 109.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSUDH (about $8,174 more per year; $15,623.00 vs. $7,449.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 148.5% higher at UC Merced than at California State University Dominguez Hills (about $29,774 more per year; $49,823.00 vs. $20,049.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Dominguez Hills than at University of California Merced (93% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 95.6% larger than aid received by California State University Dominguez Hills students ($27,292 vs. $13,951).

CSUDH vs. UC Merced Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSUDH 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 CSUDH.

• 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: CSUDH - Test-free; UC Merced - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUDH Dec 4, 2026; UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at CSUDH (3.16).
• CSUDH has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than UC Merced (90.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at CSUDH vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

CSUDH vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSUDH 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 State University Dominguez Hills's (24%).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Dominguez Hills graduates have a $5,937 lower median loan debt than UC Merced graduates ($13,962 vs. $19,899).
• Among borrowers, CSUDH graduates have an estimated $61 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UC Merced graduates ($144 vs. $205).
• More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUDH students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 52%)

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.