Marshall University vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Marshall University or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Marshall 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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Marshall University vs. University of California Merced comparison
Marshall University University of California Merced College 3 College 4
Marshall University University of California Merced
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Overview

Marshall University UC Merced
Location Huntington, WV Merced, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 10,691 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #813 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website marshall.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Marshall University UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $7,190 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $18,244 $41,636
Room & Board $11,840 $19,340
Avg Net Price $8,756 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $11,221 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 83%

Admission

Marshall University UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,356 29,920
Admitted 6,158 26,766
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 89.5%
Enrolled % 25.2% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 19/24
SAT Range 930/1150 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 Aug 10, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Marshall University UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Marshall University UC Merced
Graduation Rate 44% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,134 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $239 $205

Diversity

Marshall University UC Merced
% Men 40% 51%
% Women 60% 49%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 13%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Marshall University UC Merced
% In-State 79% 99%
% Out-of-State 20% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Marshall University is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (10,691 students vs. 9,103 students)

Marshall University vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Marshall University or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 60.8% more expensive to attend than Marshall University for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $7,190.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 128.2% higher at UC Merced than Marshall University ($41,636.00 vs. $18,244.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Marshall University than UC Merced ($8,756 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marshall University are 63.3% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,840 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marshall University than University of California Merced (96% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 130.5% larger than aid received Marshall University ($25,868 vs. $11,221)

Marshall University vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Marshall University (1028) is 3 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming Marshall University students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
  • Accepted freshman Marshall University students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
  • Marshall University has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than UC Merced (89.5%)

Marshall University vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Marshall 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 Marshall University.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Marshall University (58% vs. 44%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $3,235 lower median federal student loan debt than Marshall University graduates. ($19,899 vs. $23,134)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Marshall University graduates. ($205 vs. $239)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Marshall University students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 43%)

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