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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 Kentucky| Northern Kentucky University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NKU | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 14,961 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #912 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,512 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $21,096 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,660 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $8,151 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,492 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 81% |
Admission |
NKU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,417 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 6,162 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 916/1133 | 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 15, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
NKU | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $205 |
Diversity |
NKU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 24% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
NKU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 71% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 28% | 0% | ||
Campus |
NKU | 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
- Northern Kentucky University is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 9,147 students)
NKU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 12.6% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $10,512.00)
- Out of state tuition is 102% higher at UC Merced than Northern Kentucky University ($42,611.00 vs. $21,096.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than UC Merced ($8,151 vs. $13,232)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 74% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,660 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of California Merced (98% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 116.4% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($24,868 vs. $11,492)
NKU vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or NKU .
- The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 43 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming NKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
NKU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU 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 NKU.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Northern Kentucky University (58% vs. 37%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,051 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($19,899 vs. $24,950)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($205 vs. $257)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU 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/