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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach Sacramento State| Columbus State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Columbus State | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Columbus, GA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 7,479 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #995 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | columbusstate.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Columbus State | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,371 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $15,425 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,080 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,902 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,147 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 83% |
Admission |
Columbus State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,870 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 3,398 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 87.8% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 30.4% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.07 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 16/23 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 900/1130 | 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 | Jun 30, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
Columbus State | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Columbus State | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 31% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 37% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $205 |
Diversity |
Columbus State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 51% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 37% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Columbus State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 92% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Columbus State | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California Merced is larger than than Columbus State based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 7,479 students)
Columbus State vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 164.6% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $4,371.00)
- Out of state tuition is 169.9% higher at UC Merced than Columbus State University ($41,636.00 vs. $15,425.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than UC Merced ($12,902 vs. $13,549)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbus State University are 60.1% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($12,080 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than University of California Merced (98% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 182.8% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($25,868 vs. $9,147)
Columbus State vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Columbus State or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Columbus State .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 64 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Columbus State (20)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Columbus State (87.8%)
Columbus State vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Columbus 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 Columbus State.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Columbus State University (58% vs. 31%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $6,101 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($19,899 vs. $26,000)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($205 vs. $268)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 37%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/