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UC Riverside University of Dayton Kent State UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State| Cleveland State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cleveland State | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Cleveland, OH | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 14,117 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #780 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csuohio.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cleveland State | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,503 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,863 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,760 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,307 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,148 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 88% | 81% |
Admission |
Cleveland State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 10,274 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 9,810 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.5% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.2% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 18/25 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 880/1130 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 15, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Cleveland State | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cleveland State | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 30% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $44,200 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $205 |
Diversity |
Cleveland State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 64% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 17% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
Cleveland State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Cleveland State | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Cleveland State University is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (14,117 students vs. 9,147 students)
Cleveland State vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cleveland State or UC Merced?
- Cleveland State University is 5.7% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($12,503.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 138.5% higher at UC Merced than Cleveland State University ($42,611.00 vs. $17,863.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Cleveland State ($13,232 vs. $16,307)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cleveland State University are 37.5% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($14,760 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than University of California Merced (88% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 145.1% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($24,868 vs. $10,148)
Cleveland State vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cleveland State or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Cleveland State .
- The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 3 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cleveland State (22)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
- Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
Cleveland State vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cleveland State 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 Cleveland State.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Cleveland State University (58% vs. 30%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $1,601 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleveland State graduates. ($19,899 vs. $21,500)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Cleveland State graduates. ($205 vs. $222)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/