Long Beach City College vs. Merced College

Comparable Facts

Compare Long Beach City College in Long Beach, CA with Merced College in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Long Beach City College is larger than Merced College based on total student enrollment (24,985 students vs. 12,472 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Long Beach City College is located in Long Beach, CA (Large City setting); Merced College is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Long Beach City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Merced College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Long Beach City College 29:1; Merced College 28:1.

Long Beach City College vs. Merced College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Long Beach City 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 Long Beach City College ($6,854 vs. $7,565).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Merced College are 12% lower than at Long Beach City College ($19,432 vs. $22,086).
• Long Beach City College is 29.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merced College (about $356 more per year; $1,556.00 vs. $1,200.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 47.2% higher at Long Beach City College than at Merced College (about $4,024 more per year; $12,544.00 vs. $8,520.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Long Beach City College than at Merced College (91% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merced College students is 18.7% larger than aid received by Long Beach City College students ($7,480 vs. $6,299).

Long Beach City College vs. Merced College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Long Beach City 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 Long Beach City College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Long Beach City College - Open admission; Merced College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Long Beach City College Aug 17, 2027.

Long Beach City College vs. Merced College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Long Beach City 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 Long Beach City College earn a median of about $2,500 more per year than Merced College graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,800 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.