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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| Louisiana State University Shreveport | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
LSUS | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Shreveport, LA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 9,736 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #928 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | lsus.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
LSUS | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,656 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $5,656 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,030 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,554 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,964 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 91% | 81% |
Admission |
LSUS | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 949 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 785 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 82.7% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.3% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.38 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 19/24 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1150 | 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 |
LSUS | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 27:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
LSUS | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 28% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,500 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 41% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $205 |
Diversity |
LSUS | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 29% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 23% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
LSUS | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 0% | ||
Campus |
LSUS | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | No | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Louisiana State University Shreveport is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (9,736 students vs. 9,147 students)
LSUS vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, LSUS or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 109.2% more expensive to attend than LSUS for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,656.00)
- Out of state tuition is 653.4% higher at UC Merced than Louisiana State University Shreveport ($42,611.00 vs. $5,656.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Louisiana State University Shreveport than UC Merced ($7,554 vs. $13,232)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University Shreveport are 84% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,030 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University Shreveport than University of California Merced (91% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 126.8% larger than aid received Louisiana State University Shreveport ($24,868 vs. $10,964)
LSUS vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, LSUS or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or LSUS .
- The average SAT score at Louisiana State University Shreveport (1029) is 4 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at LSUS (22)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at LSUS (3.38)
- LSUS has a higher acceptance rate (82.7%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
LSUS vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, LSUS 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 LSUS.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Louisiana State University Shreveport (58% vs. 28%)
- Louisiana State University Shreveport students graduate with a $399 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($19,500 vs. $19,899)
- LSUS graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($201 vs. $205)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSUS students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 41%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/