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USD UCSD UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC San Francisco State UCSB ASU San Jose State CSU| San Diego State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
San Diego State | UC Merced | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 39,241 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #337 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sdsu.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Diego State | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $21,630 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,500 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,459 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 81% |
Admission |
San Diego State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 82,800 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 28,517 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.4% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.6% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1300 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
San Diego State | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
San Diego State | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 66% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,349 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $158 | $205 |
Diversity |
San Diego State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
San Diego State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 75% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 23% | 0% | ||
Campus |
San Diego State | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Diego State University is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 9,147 students)
San Diego State vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 106.1% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UC Merced than San Diego State University ($42,611.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than San Diego State ($13,232 vs. $19,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Merced are 6.6% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($20,293 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than University of California Merced (94% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 355.5% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($24,868 vs. $5,459)
San Diego State vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or San Diego State .
- The average SAT score at San Diego State University (1130) is 105 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming San Diego State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
- UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (39.2%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
San Diego State vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, San Diego State 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 San Diego State.
- The graduation rate at San Diego State is higher than University of California Merced (66% vs. 58%)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $4,550 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($15,349 vs. $19,899)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($158 vs. $205)
- More San Diego State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/