UC Merced vs. Oak Valley College

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Merced in Merced, CA with Oak Valley College in Rialto, California on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Merced is larger than Oak Valley College based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 75 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Merced is located in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Oak Valley College is in Rialto, California (Large Suburban setting).
• University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Oak Valley College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Merced 20:1; Oak Valley College 7:1.

UC Merced vs. Oak Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Merced or Oak Valley College? 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 University of California Merced than Oak Valley College ($13,690 vs. $21,166).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oak Valley College are 48.5% lower than at University of California Merced ($11,054 vs. $21,445).
• Oak Valley College is 54.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than UC Merced (about $8,557 more per year; $24,180.00 vs. $15,623.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 106.1% higher at UC Merced than at Oak Valley College (about $25,643 more per year; $49,823.00 vs. $24,180.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Oak Valley College than at University of California Merced (100% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 113.4% larger than aid received by Oak Valley College students ($27,292 vs. $12,791).

UC Merced vs. Oak Valley College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Merced or Oak Valley College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Oak Valley College and UC Merced.

• Oak Valley College reports an open admissions policy.
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of California Merced 960/1140.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of California Merced 19/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UC Merced - Test-free; Oak Valley College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.

UC Merced vs. Oak Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UC Merced and Oak Valley College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• University of California Merced's six-year graduation rate is 58%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for Oak Valley College.

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.