Central Washington University vs. UC Merced

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

Central Washington University UC Merced
Location Ellensburg, WA Merced, CA
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,257 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #610 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cwu.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central Washington University UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $6,816 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $23,881 $41,636
Room & Board $13,645 $19,340
Avg Net Price $15,864 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $9,294 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 83%

Admission

Central Washington University UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,409 29,920
Admitted 5,992 26,766
Acceptance Rate 93.5% 89.5%
Enrolled % 23.5% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.08 3.55
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 19/24
SAT Range 930/1150 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 Mar 1, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Central Washington University UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Central Washington University UC Merced
Graduation Rate 56% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,800 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,737 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $214 $205

Diversity

Central Washington University UC Merced
% Men 47% 51%
% Women 53% 49%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 13%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 48%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

Central Washington University UC Merced
% In-State 95% 99%
% Out-of-State 5% 0%

Campus

Central Washington University 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

  • Central Washington University is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (9,257 students vs. 9,103 students)

Central Washington University vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central Washington University or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 69.7% more expensive to attend than Central Washington University for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $6,816.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.3% higher at UC Merced than Central Washington University ($41,636.00 vs. $23,881.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Central Washington University ($13,549 vs. $15,864)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central Washington University are 41.7% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($13,645 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Central Washington University (83% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 178.3% larger than aid received Central Washington University ($25,868 vs. $9,294)

Central Washington University vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Central Washington University or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Central Washington University .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 47 points higher than at Central Washington University (978)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Central Washington University (21)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Central Washington University (3.08)
  • Central Washington University has a higher acceptance rate (93.5%) than UC Merced (89.5%)

Central Washington University vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central Washington University 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 Central Washington University.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Central Washington University (58% vs. 56%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $838 lower median federal student loan debt than Central Washington University graduates. ($19,899 vs. $20,737)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Central Washington University graduates. ($205 vs. $214)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central Washington University students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 60%)

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