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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton URI San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach| Rhode Island College | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
RIC | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Providence, RI | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 5,767 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #705 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ric.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
RIC | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,481 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,014 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,719 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,549 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,998 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 92% | 81% |
Admission |
RIC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 4,988 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 4,045 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81.1% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.1% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.08 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 19/24 | |||
| SAT Range | 860/1160 | 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 | Mar 15, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
RIC | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
RIC | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 44% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $42,000 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 59% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,200 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $205 |
Diversity |
RIC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 14% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 8% | 1% |
Students |
RIC | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 82% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 17% | 0% | ||
Campus |
RIC | 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 RIC based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 5,767 students)
RIC vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, RIC or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 24.8% more expensive to attend than RIC for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $9,481.00)
- Out of state tuition is 70.3% higher at UC Merced than Rhode Island College ($42,611.00 vs. $25,014.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than UC Merced ($11,549 vs. $13,232)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island College are 47.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($13,719 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Rhode Island College than University of California Merced (92% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 255.4% larger than aid received Rhode Island College ($24,868 vs. $6,998)
RIC vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, RIC or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or RIC .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 112 points higher than at RIC (913)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at RIC (19)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at RIC (3.08)
- RIC has a higher acceptance rate (81.1%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
RIC vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, RIC 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 RIC.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Rhode Island College (58% vs. 44%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $1,301 lower median federal student loan debt than RIC graduates. ($19,899 vs. $21,200)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than RIC graduates. ($205 vs. $219)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIC students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 59%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/