HIU vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Hope International University or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if HIU 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

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach Sacramento State
Hope International University vs. University of California Merced comparison
Hope International University University of California Merced College 3 College 4
Hope International University University of California Merced
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 HIU UC Merced
Location Fullerton, CA Merced, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,116 9,103
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #935 #605
Religious Affiliation Christian Churches and Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hiu.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 HIU UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $34,500 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $34,500 $41,636
Room & Board $13,050 $19,340
Avg Net Price $26,146 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $23,077 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

 HIU UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 810 29,920
Admitted 261 26,766
Acceptance Rate 32.2% 89.5%
Enrolled % 33.3% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.26 3.55
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 19/24
SAT Range 1000/1180 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 Aug 20, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

 HIU UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (36%)
  • Work and Family Studies (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

 HIU UC Merced
Graduation Rate 32% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $268 $205

Diversity

 HIU UC Merced
% Men 35% 51%
% Women 65% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 13%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 21% 48%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 1%
% Two or More Races 11% 4%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 15% 1%

Students

 HIU UC Merced
% In-State 82% 99%
% Out-of-State 10% 0%

Campus

 HIU 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 HIU based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 1,116 students)

HIU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HIU or UC Merced?

  • Hope International University is 198.3% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($34,500.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.7% higher at UC Merced than Hope International University ($41,636.00 vs. $34,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than HIU ($13,549 vs. $26,146)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hope International University are 48.2% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($13,050 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hope International University than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 12.1% larger than aid received Hope International University ($25,868 vs. $23,077)

HIU vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 115 points higher than at HIU (910)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at HIU (19)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at HIU (3.26)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than HIU (32.2%)

HIU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HIU 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 HIU.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Hope International University (58% vs. 32%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $6,101 lower median federal student loan debt than HIU graduates. ($19,899 vs. $26,000)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than HIU graduates. ($205 vs. $268)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HIU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 58%)

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