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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 Sacramento State| Northern State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NSU | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Aberdeen, SD | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 3,521 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #871 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northern.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NSU | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,616 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $10,718 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,300 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,873 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,565 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 81% |
Admission |
NSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,082 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 1,004 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 92.8% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 31.8% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 800/1150 | 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 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
NSU | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NSU | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 42% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 63% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,399 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $252 | $205 |
Diversity |
NSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 83% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 3% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
NSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 72% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 28% | 0% | ||
Campus |
NSU | 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
- University of California Merced is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 3,521 students)
NSU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NSU or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 55.4% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $7,616.00)
- Out of state tuition is 297.6% higher at UC Merced than Northern State University ($42,611.00 vs. $10,718.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than NSU ($13,232 vs. $16,873)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern State University are 97% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($10,300 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern State University than University of California Merced (93% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 346.9% larger than aid received Northern State University ($24,868 vs. $5,565)
NSU vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NSU or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or NSU .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 1 points higher than at NSU (1024)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NSU (22)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at NSU (3.37)
- NSU has a higher acceptance rate (92.8%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
NSU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NSU 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 NSU.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Northern State University (58% vs. 42%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($19,899 vs. $24,399)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($205 vs. $252)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/