CDU vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CDU 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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Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science vs. University of California Merced comparison
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science University of California Merced College 3 College 4
University of California Merced
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Overview

CDU UC Merced
Location Los Angeles, CA Merced, CA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 777 9,103
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cdrewu.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CDU UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $14,424 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $14,424 $41,636
Room & Board $17,782 $19,340
Avg Net Price $27,637 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $11,419 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 83%

Admission

CDU UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 834 29,920
Admitted 671 26,766
Acceptance Rate 80.5%Open 89.5%
Enrolled % 2.1%Open 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.26 3.55
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24
SAT Range 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 Jul 30, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

CDU UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (100%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

CDU UC Merced
Graduation Rate - 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,900 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,319 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $220 $205

Diversity

CDU UC Merced
% Men 28% 51%
% Women 72% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 9% 13%
% Black 39% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 25% 4%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

CDU UC Merced
% In-State 57% 99%
% Out-of-State 14% 0%

Campus

CDU UC Merced
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than CDU based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 777 students)

CDU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CDU or UC Merced?

  • Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science is 24.7% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($14,424.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 188.7% higher at UC Merced than Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science ($41,636.00 vs. $14,424.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than CDU ($13,549 vs. $27,637)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science are 8.8% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($17,782 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science (83% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 126.5% larger than aid received Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science ($25,868 vs. $11,419)

CDU vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at CDU (3.26)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than CDU (80.5%)

CDU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CDU 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 CDU.

  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $1,420 lower median federal student loan debt than CDU graduates. ($19,899 vs. $21,319)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than CDU graduates. ($205 vs. $220)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CDU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 56%)

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