NMSU vs. UC Merced

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

NMSU UC Merced
Location Las Cruces, NM Merced, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,268 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #811 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nmsu.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NMSU UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $6,283 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $23,407 $41,636
Room & Board $11,252 $19,340
Avg Net Price $10,407 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $13,168 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 83%

Admission

NMSU UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,860 29,920
Admitted 12,378 26,766
Acceptance Rate 78% 89.5%
Enrolled % 18.8% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 19/24
SAT Range 900/1140 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, 2024

Academics

NMSU UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

NMSU UC Merced
Graduation Rate 46% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,118 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $176 $205

Diversity

NMSU UC Merced
% Men 42% 51%
% Women 58% 49%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 30% 13%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 55% 48%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

NMSU UC Merced
% In-State 72% 99%
% Out-of-State 25% 0%

Campus

NMSU 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

  • New Mexico State University Main Campus is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (14,268 students vs. 9,103 students)

NMSU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NMSU or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 84.1% more expensive to attend than NMSU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $6,283.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.9% higher at UC Merced than New Mexico State University Main Campus ($41,636.00 vs. $23,407.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New Mexico State University Main Campus than UC Merced ($10,407 vs. $13,549)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New Mexico State University Main Campus are 71.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,252 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at New Mexico State University Main Campus than University of California Merced (95% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 96.4% larger than aid received New Mexico State University Main Campus ($25,868 vs. $13,168)

NMSU vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 42 points higher than at NMSU (983)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NMSU (21)
  • Accepted freshman NMSU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.55) as students at UC Merced (3.55)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than NMSU (78%)

NMSU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NMSU 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 NMSU.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than New Mexico State University Main Campus (58% vs. 46%)
  • New Mexico State University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,781 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($17,118 vs. $19,899)
  • NMSU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($176 vs. $205)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NMSU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 44%)

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