Merced College vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia

Comparable Facts

Compare Merced College in Merced, CA with San Joaquin Valley College Visalia in Visalia, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Merced College is larger than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia based on total student enrollment (12,472 students vs. 2,318 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merced College is located in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting); San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is in Visalia, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Merced College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merced College 28:1; San Joaquin Valley College Visalia 28:1.

Merced College vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merced College or San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia ($6,854 vs. $27,525).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Joaquin Valley College Visalia are 54.9% lower than at Merced College ($8,764 vs. $19,432).
• San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is 1,283.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merced College (about $15,406 more per year; $16,606.00 vs. $1,200.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 94.9% higher at San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia than at Merced College (about $8,086 more per year; $16,606.00 vs. $8,520.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merced College than at San Joaquin Valley College Visalia (88% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merced College students is 37.8% larger than aid received by San Joaquin Valley College Visalia students ($7,480 vs. $5,430).

Merced College vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Merced College or San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia and Merced College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merced College - Open admission; San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia - Open admission.

Merced College vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merced College and San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 San Joaquin Valley College Visalia earn a median of about $1,800 more per year than Merced College graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,100 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.