Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
UCSD UCI UC Riverside UCSC Cal Poly UC Davis UCLA UW-Seattle UC Berkeley San Diego State CSU San Jose State| University of California Santa Barbara | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UCSB | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Santa Barbara, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 26,068 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #112 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsb.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSB | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,834 | $11,834 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,611 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,684 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,283 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,732 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 81% |
Admission |
UCSB | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 110,871 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 30,804 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 27.8% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.4% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 28/34 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1460 | 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 |
UCSB | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 21:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
UCSB | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 80% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,000 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $16,451 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $170 | $205 |
Diversity |
UCSB | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 35% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 26% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
UCSB | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 80% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 0% | ||
Campus |
UCSB | 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
- University of California Santa Barbara is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (26,068 students vs. 9,147 students)
UCSB vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSB or UC Merced?
- University of California Santa Barbara and UC Merced cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at UCSB as University of California Merced ($42,611.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than UCSB ($13,232 vs. $15,283)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Santa Barbara are 8.6% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($18,684 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than University of California Santa Barbara (81% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 14.4% larger than aid received University of California Santa Barbara ($24,868 vs. $21,732)
UCSB vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSB or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or UCSB .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Barbara (1248) is 223 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming UCSB students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman UCSB 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 UCSB (27.8%)
UCSB vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSB 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 UCSB.
- The graduation rate at UCSB is higher than University of California Merced (80% vs. 58%)
- University of California Santa Barbara students graduate with a $3,448 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($16,451 vs. $19,899)
- UCSB graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($170 vs. $205)
- More UCSB 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/