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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach| PennWest California | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
PennWest California | UC Merced | ||
| Location | California, PA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 6,509 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1033 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calu.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
PennWest California | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,716 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $11,574 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,416 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | - | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $0 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 0% | 83% |
Admission |
PennWest California | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | - | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.5% | |||
| Enrolled % | 8.9% | |||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1150 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | |||
| Application Deadline | Aug 22, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
PennWest California | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
PennWest California | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 53% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $42,500 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $205 |
Diversity |
PennWest California | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 39% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 61% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
PennWest California | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 86% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 13% | 0% | ||
Campus |
PennWest California | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California Merced is larger than than PennWest California based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 6,509 students)
PennWest California vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 49.9% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $7,716.00)
- Out of state tuition is 259.7% higher at UC Merced than PennWest California ($41,636.00 vs. $11,574.00)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 85.7% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($10,416 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than PennWest California (83% vs. 0%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($25,868 vs. $0)
Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or PennWest California .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 103 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PennWest California (20)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at PennWest California (3.31)
PennWest California vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, PennWest California 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 PennWest California.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than PennWest California (58% vs. 53%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,101 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,000)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($205 vs. $258)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/