La Sierra University vs. UC Merced

Should I go to La Sierra University or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if La Sierra University 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.

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La Sierra University vs. University of California Merced comparison
La Sierra University University of California Merced College 3 College 4
University of California Merced
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Overview

La Sierra University UC Merced
Location Riverside, CA Merced, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,614 9,103
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #645 #605
Religious Affiliation Seventh Day Adventists - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lasierra.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

La Sierra University UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $33,912 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $33,912 $41,636
Room & Board $11,325 $19,340
Avg Net Price $25,076 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $21,867 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

La Sierra University UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,878 29,920
Admitted 1,725 26,766
Acceptance Rate 91.9% 89.5%
Enrolled % 19.1% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/28 19/24
SAT Range 880/1140 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

La Sierra University UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (24%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

La Sierra University UC Merced
Graduation Rate 32% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,900 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $30,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $310 $205

Diversity

La Sierra University UC Merced
% Men 40% 51%
% Women 60% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 14% 13%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 48% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 2% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

La Sierra University UC Merced
% In-State 84% 99%
% Out-of-State 9% 0%

Campus

La Sierra University UC Merced
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than La Sierra University based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 1,614 students)

La Sierra University vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, La Sierra University or UC Merced?

  • La Sierra University is 193.3% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($33,912.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.8% higher at UC Merced than La Sierra University ($41,636.00 vs. $33,912.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than La Sierra University ($13,549 vs. $25,076)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at La Sierra University are 70.8% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,325 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at La Sierra University than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 18.3% larger than aid received La Sierra University ($25,868 vs. $21,867)

La Sierra University vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 96 points higher than at La Sierra University (929)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at La Sierra University (19)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at La Sierra University (3.54)
  • La Sierra University has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than UC Merced (89.5%)

La Sierra University vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, La Sierra University 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 La Sierra University.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than La Sierra University (58% vs. 32%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $10,101 lower median federal student loan debt than La Sierra University graduates. ($19,899 vs. $30,000)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than La Sierra University graduates. ($205 vs. $310)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former La Sierra University students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 52%)

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