Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Merced

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

Cal State Fullerton UC Merced
Location Fullerton, CA Merced, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 40,386 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $41,636
Room & Board $16,702 $19,340
Avg Net Price $7,925 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 83%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 29,920
Admitted 32,527 26,766
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 89.5%
Enrolled % 16.2% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.55
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 19/24
SAT Range 1000/1180 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

Cal State Fullerton UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton UC Merced
Graduation Rate 50% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $155 $205

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton UC Merced
% Men 42% 51%
% Women 58% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 13%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 40% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Cal State Fullerton UC Merced
% In-State 99% 99%
% Out-of-State 1% 0%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton 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 Fullerton is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 9,103 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton 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 Fullerton ($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 Fullerton than UC Merced ($7,925 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fullerton are 15.8% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,702 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Fullerton (83% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 181.4% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($25,868 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton 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 Fullerton .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 1 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cal State Fullerton (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton 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 Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Fullerton (58% vs. 50%)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $4,899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,899)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($155 vs. $205)
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)

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