Foothill College vs. Merced College

Comparable Facts

Compare Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA with Merced College in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Foothill College is larger than Merced College based on total student enrollment (12,949 students vs. 12,472 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Foothill College is located in Los Altos Hills, CA (Large Suburban setting); Merced College is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Foothill College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Merced College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Foothill College 26:1; Merced College 28:1.

Foothill College vs. Merced College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Foothill 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 Foothill College ($6,854 vs. $10,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Merced College are 6.5% lower than at Foothill College ($19,432 vs. $20,793).
• Foothill College is 30.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merced College (about $365 more per year; $1,565.00 vs. $1,200.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 47.8% higher at Foothill College than at Merced College (about $4,070 more per year; $12,590.00 vs. $8,520.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merced College than at Foothill College (88% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merced College students is 77.1% larger than aid received by Foothill College students ($7,480 vs. $4,223).

Foothill College vs. Merced College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Foothill 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 Foothill College.

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

Foothill College vs. Merced College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Foothill 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 Foothill College earn a median of about $29,100 more per year than Merced College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,400 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.