UC Merced vs. Horizon College San Diego

Should I go to University of California Merced or Horizon College San Diego? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Merced or Horizon College San Diego 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.

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University of California Merced vs. Horizon College San Diego comparison
University of California Merced Horizon College San Diego College 3 College 4
University of California Merced
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Overview

UC Merced Horizon College San Diego
Location Merced, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 9,147 66
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #542
Religious Affiliation - Other (none of the above) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucmerced.edu horizoncollege.org
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Merced Horizon College San Diego
Tuition (In State) $11,834 $9,540
Tuition (Out of State) $42,611 $9,540
Room & Board $20,293 $11,140
Avg Net Price $13,232 -
Avg Grant Aid $24,868 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 0%

Admission

UC Merced Horizon College San Diego
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,891 -
Admitted 26,598 -
Acceptance Rate 39.2% Open
Enrolled % 9.1% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.55 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 19/24
SAT Range 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025 Aug 29, 2026

Academics

UC Merced Horizon College San Diego
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (100%)

Outcomes

UC Merced Horizon College San Diego
Graduation Rate 58% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 64% -
Median Student Loan Debt $19,899 N/A
Median Loan Payment $205 N/A

Diversity

UC Merced Horizon College San Diego
% Men 5% 12%
% Women 4% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 13% 62%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 48% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 5% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 10%

Students

UC Merced Horizon College San Diego
% In-State 99% 40%
% Out-of-State 0% 60%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than Horizon College San Diego based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 66 students)

UC Merced vs. Horizon College San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Merced or Horizon College San Diego?

  • University of California Merced is 24% more expensive to attend than Horizon College San Diego for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $9,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 346.7% higher at UC Merced than Horizon College San Diego ($42,611.00 vs. $9,540.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Horizon College San Diego are 82.2% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,140 vs. $20,293)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Horizon College San Diego (81% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is ?% larger than aid received Horizon College San Diego ($24,868 vs. $0)

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

UC Merced vs. Horizon College San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Merced or Horizon College San Diego? 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 Horizon College San Diego and UC Merced.

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