Design Institute of San Diego vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Design Institute of San Diego or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Design Institute of San Diego 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Design Institute of San Diego vs. University of California Merced comparison
Design Institute of San Diego University of California Merced College 3 College 4
University of California Merced
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Design Institute of San Diego UC Merced
Location San Diego, CA Merced, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 111 9,147
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #542
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status For-profit Non-profit
Website disd.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Design Institute of San Diego UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $29,250 $11,834
Tuition (Out of State) $29,250 $42,611
Room & Board $19,431 $20,293
Avg Net Price $27,693 $13,232
Avg Grant Aid $14,400 $24,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 81%

Admission

Design Institute of San Diego UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8 67,891
Admitted 7 26,598
Acceptance Rate 87.5%Open 39.2%
Enrolled % 28.6%Open 9.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.55
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition High
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 Nov 30, 2025

Academics

Design Institute of San Diego UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Design Institute of San Diego UC Merced
Graduation Rate 62% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,900 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $40,585 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $419 $205

Diversity

Design Institute of San Diego UC Merced
% Men 2% 5%
% Women 15% 4%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 13%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 17% 48%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Design Institute of San Diego UC Merced
% In-State 100% 99%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

Design Institute of San Diego 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 Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 111 students)

Design Institute of San Diego vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Design Institute of San Diego or UC Merced?

  • Design Institute of San Diego is 147.2% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($29,250.00 vs. $11,834.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.7% higher at UC Merced than Design Institute of San Diego ($42,611.00 vs. $29,250.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Design Institute of San Diego ($13,232 vs. $27,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Design Institute of San Diego are 4.4% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($19,431 vs. $20,293)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Design Institute of San Diego (81% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 72.7% larger than aid received Design Institute of San Diego ($24,868 vs. $14,400)

Design Institute of San Diego vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than UC Merced (39.2%)

Design Institute of San Diego vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Design Institute of San Diego 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 Design Institute of San Diego.

  • The graduation rate at Design Institute of San Diego is higher than University of California Merced (62% vs. 58%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $20,686 lower median federal student loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates. ($19,899 vs. $40,585)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $214 less per month on federal student loans than Design Institute of San Diego graduates. ($205 vs. $419)
  • More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 64%)

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