Musicians Institute vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA with University of California Merced in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Merced is larger than Musicians Institute based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 824 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Musicians Institute is located in Hollywood, CA (Large City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Musicians Institute is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Musicians Institute 6:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Musicians Institute vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Musicians Institute or UC Merced? 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 University of California Merced than Musicians Institute ($13,690 vs. $49,657).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Merced are 2.9% lower than at Musicians Institute ($21,445 vs. $22,086).
• Musicians Institute is 119.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than UC Merced (about $18,699 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $15,623.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 45.2% higher at UC Merced than at Musicians Institute (about $15,501 more per year; $49,823.00 vs. $34,322.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Merced than at Musicians Institute (89% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 527% larger than aid received by Musicians Institute students ($27,292 vs. $4,353).

Musicians Institute vs. UC Merced Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Musicians Institute or UC Merced? 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 UC Merced and Musicians Institute.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of California Merced 960/1140.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of California Merced 19/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Musicians Institute - Test-free; UC Merced - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than Musicians Institute (77.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.6% at Musicians Institute vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

Musicians Institute vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Musicians Institute and UC Merced? 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).

• Musicians Institute's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than University of California Merced's (58%).
• More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Musicians Institute students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 53%)

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.