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California State Polytechnic University-Pomona UC Riverside San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State UCSC San Francisco State CSU UC Davis California State University-Northridge UCLA California State University-Fresno| California State University Long Beach | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State Long Beach | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Long Beach, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 40,278 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #505 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csulb.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State Long Beach | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,612 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $9,731 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,512 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 77% | 81% |
Admission |
Cal State Long Beach | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 79,680 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 37,547 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 47.1% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.3% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | High | ||
| ACT Range | 20/26 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1020/1240 | 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, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Cal State Long Beach | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State Long Beach | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 54% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,100 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $205 |
Diversity |
Cal State Long Beach | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 19% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 39% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
Cal State Long Beach | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Cal State Long Beach | 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 Long Beach is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (40,278 students vs. 9,147 students)
Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State Long Beach or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 106.1% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach ($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 Long Beach than UC Merced ($9,731 vs. $13,232)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Long Beach are 30% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($15,612 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Long Beach (81% vs. 77%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 136.6% larger than aid received California State University Long Beach ($24,868 vs. $10,512)
Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach .
- The average SAT score at California State University Long Beach (1056) is 31 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming Cal State Long Beach students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman Cal State Long Beach students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
- Cal State Long Beach has a higher acceptance rate (47.1%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
Cal State Long Beach vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State Long Beach 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 Long Beach.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Long Beach (58% vs. 54%)
- California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $4,899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,899)
- Cal State Long Beach graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($155 vs. $205)
- More Cal State Long Beach 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/