East Los Angeles College vs. Merced College

Comparable Facts

Compare East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, CA with Merced College in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

East Los Angeles College is larger than Merced College based on total student enrollment (33,677 students vs. 12,472 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• East Los Angeles College is located in Monterey Park, CA (Small City setting); Merced College is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• East Los Angeles College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Merced College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: East Los Angeles College 33:1; Merced College 28:1.

East Los Angeles College vs. Merced College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, East Los Angeles College 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 Merced College than East Los Angeles College ($6,854 vs. $11,700).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Merced College are 23.5% lower than at East Los Angeles College ($19,432 vs. $25,407).
• East Los Angeles College is 3.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merced College (about $38 more per year; $1,238.00 vs. $1,200.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24.1% higher at East Los Angeles College than at Merced College (about $2,052 more per year; $10,572.00 vs. $8,520.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merced College than at East Los Angeles College (88% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merced College students is 5.4% larger than aid received by East Los Angeles College students ($7,480 vs. $7,098).

East Los Angeles College vs. Merced College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, East Los Angeles College 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 East Los Angeles College.

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

East Los Angeles College vs. Merced College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for East Los Angeles College 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 East Los Angeles College earn a median of about $4,100 more per year than Merced College graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,400 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.