College of the Canyons vs. Merced College

Comparable Facts

Compare College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, CA with Merced College in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College of the Canyons is larger than Merced College based on total student enrollment (18,075 students vs. 12,472 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Canyons is located in Santa Clarita, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); Merced College is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• College of the Canyons is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Merced College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Canyons 25:1; Merced College 28:1.

College of the Canyons vs. Merced College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Canyons or Merced College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Canyons than Merced College ($5,760 vs. $6,854).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Merced College are 12% lower than at College of the Canyons ($19,432 vs. $22,086).
• Merced College is 2.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Canyons (about $34 more per year; $1,200.00 vs. $1,166.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.6% higher at College of the Canyons than at Merced College (about $2,438 more per year; $10,958.00 vs. $8,520.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merced College than at College of the Canyons (88% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merced College students is 62.7% larger than aid received by College of the Canyons students ($7,480 vs. $4,597).

College of the Canyons vs. Merced College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Canyons or Merced College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Merced College and College of the Canyons.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: College of the Canyons - Open admission; Merced College - Open admission.

College of the Canyons vs. Merced College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Canyons and Merced College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from College of the Canyons earn a median of about $16,700 more per year than Merced College graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,000 vs. $30,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.