Design Institute of San Diego vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare Design Institute of San Diego in San Diego, CA with University of California Merced in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Merced is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Design Institute of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Design Institute of San Diego 8:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Design Institute of San Diego vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Design Institute of San Diego or UC Merced? 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 University of California Merced than Design Institute of San Diego ($13,690 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Merced are 2.9% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($21,445 vs. $22,086).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 87.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UC Merced (about $13,677 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $15,623.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 70% higher at UC Merced than at Design Institute of San Diego (about $20,523 more per year; $49,823.00 vs. $29,300.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at University of California Merced (100% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 129.3% larger than aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students ($27,292 vs. $11,901).

Design Institute of San Diego vs. UC Merced Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Design Institute of San Diego or UC Merced? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UC Merced and Design Institute of San Diego.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresUniversity of California Merced 960/1140.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresUniversity of California Merced 19/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission; UC Merced - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than UC Merced (90.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

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

How do outcomes compare for Design Institute of San Diego and UC Merced? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Design Institute of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than University of California Merced's (58%).
• Graduates from Design Institute of San Diego have median earnings of about $38,900 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for UC Merced.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Merced graduates have a $20,686 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($19,899 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, UC Merced graduates have an estimated $214 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.