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UC Riverside UCSC San Francisco State Sacramento State CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton California State University-Northridge San Diego State Cal Poly California State University-Fresno| California State University East Bay | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State East Bay | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Hayward, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 13,333 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #542 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csueastbay.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State East Bay | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,480 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $10,874 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,886 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 75% | 81% |
Admission |
Cal State East Bay | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,274 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 12,851 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.8% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 7.7% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.2 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | 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 | Oct 1, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal State East Bay | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State East Bay | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 43% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $16,332 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $168 | $205 |
Diversity |
Cal State East Bay | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 16% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 11% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Cal State East Bay | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 94% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Cal State East Bay | 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 University East Bay is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (13,333 students vs. 9,147 students)
Cal State East Bay vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 106.1% more expensive to attend than Cal State East Bay for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UC Merced than California State University East Bay ($42,611.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University East Bay than UC Merced ($10,874 vs. $13,232)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University East Bay are 23.1% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,480 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University East Bay (81% vs. 75%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 128.4% larger than aid received California State University East Bay ($24,868 vs. $10,886)
Cal State East Bay vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Cal State East Bay .
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2)
- Cal State East Bay has a higher acceptance rate (96.8%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
Cal State East Bay vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State East Bay 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 Cal State East Bay.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University East Bay (58% vs. 43%)
- California State University East Bay students graduate with a $3,567 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($16,332 vs. $19,899)
- Cal State East Bay graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($168 vs. $205)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State East Bay students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/