PUC vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Pacific Union College or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PUC 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Pacific Union College vs. University of California Merced comparison
Pacific Union College University of California Merced College 3 College 4
Pacific Union College University of California Merced
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

PUC UC Merced
Location Angwin, CA Merced, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 870 9,103
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #605
Religious Affiliation Seventh Day Adventists - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website puc.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PUC UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $32,655 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $32,655 $41,636
Room & Board $9,273 $19,340
Avg Net Price $21,841 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $23,383 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

PUC UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,364 29,920
Admitted 661 26,766
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 89.5%
Enrolled % 16.9% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.55
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 19/24
SAT Range 990/1200 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

PUC UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (41%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

PUC UC Merced
Graduation Rate 45% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,200 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $30,000 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $310 $205

Diversity

PUC UC Merced
% Men 37% 51%
% Women 63% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 26% 13%
% Black 9% 5%
% Hispanic 28% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 2% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

PUC UC Merced
% In-State 77% 99%
% Out-of-State 21% 0%

Campus

PUC UC Merced
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than PUC based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 870 students)

PUC vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PUC or UC Merced?

  • Pacific Union College is 182.4% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($32,655.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.5% higher at UC Merced than Pacific Union College ($41,636.00 vs. $32,655.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than PUC ($13,549 vs. $21,841)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pacific Union College are 108.6% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($9,273 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pacific Union College than University of California Merced (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 10.6% larger than aid received Pacific Union College ($25,868 vs. $23,383)

PUC vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 41 points higher than at PUC (984)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PUC (21)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at PUC (3.24)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than PUC (48.5%)

PUC vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PUC 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 PUC.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Pacific Union College (58% vs. 45%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $10,101 lower median federal student loan debt than PUC graduates. ($19,899 vs. $30,000)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $105 less per month on federal student loans than PUC graduates. ($205 vs. $310)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PUC students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 57%)

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