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UC Riverside San Francisco State California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Cal State Long Beach Sacramento State UCSC Cal State Fullerton San Diego State CSU UC Davis SCU Cal Poly| San Jose State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
San Jose State | UC Merced | ||
| Location | San Jose, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 36,062 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #571 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sjsu.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Jose State | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,866 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,833 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,311 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 61% | 81% |
Admission |
San Jose State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 35,780 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 28,708 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 80.2% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.7% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.35 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 19/26 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1240 | 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 | Dec 15, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
San Jose State | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
San Jose State | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 46% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,900 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $205 |
Diversity |
San Jose State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 15% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 19% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 26% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
San Jose State | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 0% | ||
Campus |
San Jose 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 Jose State University is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (36,062 students vs. 9,147 students)
San Jose State vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Jose State or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 106.1% more expensive to attend than San Jose 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 Jose 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 Jose State ($13,232 vs. $13,833)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Jose State University are 2.1% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($19,866 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than San Jose State University (81% vs. 61%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 119.9% larger than aid received San Jose State University ($24,868 vs. $11,311)
San Jose State vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, San Jose 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 Jose State .
- The average SAT score at San Jose State University (1055) is 30 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming San Jose State students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at San Jose State (3.35)
- San Jose State has a higher acceptance rate (80.2%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
San Jose State vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, San Jose 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 Jose State.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than San Jose State University (58% vs. 46%)
- San Jose State University students graduate with a $4,899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,899)
- San Jose State graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($155 vs. $205)
- More San Jose State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/