Cleveland State vs. UC Merced

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

Cleveland State UC Merced
Location Cleveland, OH Merced, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,385 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #769 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuohio.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cleveland State UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $12,144 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $17,359 $41,636
Room & Board $14,197 $19,340
Avg Net Price $15,719 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $9,436 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 83%

Admission

Cleveland State UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,570 29,920
Admitted 9,872 26,766
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 89.5%
Enrolled % 16.8% 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 18/25 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, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Cleveland State UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

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 46% 51%
% Women 54% 49%
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 (14,385 students vs. 9,103 students)

Cleveland State vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleveland State or UC Merced?

  • Cleveland State University is 5% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 139.9% higher at UC Merced than Cleveland State University ($41,636.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Cleveland State ($13,549 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cleveland State University are 36.2% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($14,197 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than University of California Merced (91% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 174.1% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($25,868 vs. $9,436)

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)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

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/