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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Southern University and A & M College Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach| Grambling State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
GSU- Grambling | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Grambling, LA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 5,114 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1009 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | gram.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
GSU- Grambling | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,140 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $5,140 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,990 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,092 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,763 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 81% |
Admission |
GSU- Grambling | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 24,521 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 5,806 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 23.7% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.8% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.01 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 15/19 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 860/1150 | 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 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
GSU- Grambling | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 25:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
GSU- Grambling | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 27% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $32,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 23% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $37,997 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $392 | $205 |
Diversity |
GSU- Grambling | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Extremely Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 1% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 91% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 1% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
GSU- Grambling | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 60% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 39% | 0% | ||
Campus |
GSU- Grambling | 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 GSU- Grambling based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 5,114 students)
GSU- Grambling vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, GSU- Grambling or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 130.2% more expensive to attend than GSU- Grambling for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,140.00)
- Out of state tuition is 729% higher at UC Merced than Grambling State University ($42,611.00 vs. $5,140.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than GSU- Grambling ($13,232 vs. $19,092)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grambling State University are 84.6% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($10,990 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Grambling State University than University of California Merced (93% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 183.8% larger than aid received Grambling State University ($24,868 vs. $8,763)
GSU- Grambling vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, GSU- Grambling or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or GSU- Grambling .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 154 points higher than at GSU- Grambling (871)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at GSU- Grambling (18)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at GSU- Grambling (3.01)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (39.2%) than GSU- Grambling (23.7%)
GSU- Grambling vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, GSU- Grambling 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 GSU- Grambling.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Grambling State University (58% vs. 27%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $18,098 lower median federal student loan debt than GSU- Grambling graduates. ($19,899 vs. $37,997)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $187 less per month on federal student loans than GSU- Grambling graduates. ($205 vs. $392)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GSU- Grambling students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 23%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/