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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Francisco State San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Sacramento State| California State University Los Angeles | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal State LA | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 26,460 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #947 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calstatela.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State LA | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,998 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $5,801 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,907 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 91% | 83% |
Admission |
Cal State LA | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 33,939 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 29,507 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.9% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.2% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 15/20 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 870/1060 | 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 | Jan 19, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
Cal State LA | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cal State LA | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 36% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $46,900 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 57% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,920 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $133 | $205 |
Diversity |
Cal State LA | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 41% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 59% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 7% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 63% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
Cal State LA | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Cal State LA | 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 Los Angeles is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (26,460 students vs. 9,103 students)
Cal State LA vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 101.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA 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 Los Angeles ($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 Los Angeles than UC Merced ($5,801 vs. $13,549)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Los Angeles are 7.5% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($17,998 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than University of California Merced (91% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 137.2% larger than aid received California State University Los Angeles ($25,868 vs. $10,907)
Cal State LA vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State LA 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 LA .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 151 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cal State LA (18)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Cal State LA (86.9%)
Cal State LA vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State LA 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 LA.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Los Angeles (58% vs. 36%)
- California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $6,979 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($12,920 vs. $19,899)
- Cal State LA graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($133 vs. $205)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/