SFBU vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare San Francisco Bay University in Fremont, California with University of California Merced in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Merced is larger than SFBU based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 389 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Francisco Bay University is located in Fremont, California (Large Suburban setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• San Francisco Bay University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Francisco Bay University 10:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

SFBU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SFBU or UC Merced? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Francisco Bay University than UC Merced ($10,294 vs. $13,690).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco Bay University are 50.1% lower than at University of California Merced ($10,700 vs. $21,445).
• University of California Merced is 76.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SFBU (about $6,793 more per year; $15,623.00 vs. $8,830.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 464.2% higher at UC Merced than at San Francisco Bay University (about $40,993 more per year; $49,823.00 vs. $8,830.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Francisco Bay University than at University of California Merced (100% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 130.5% larger than aid received by San Francisco Bay University students ($27,292 vs. $11,841).

SFBU vs. UC Merced Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SFBU or UC Merced? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UC Merced and SFBU.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of California Merced 960/1140.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of California Merced 19/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SFBU - Test-free; UC Merced - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: SFBU Aug 5, 2027; UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.83 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at SFBU (2.72).
• SFBU has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than UC Merced (90.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 5.6% at SFBU vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

SFBU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SFBU and UC Merced? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.