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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State Cal State Long Beach Sacramento State| University of Nebraska at Kearney | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UNK | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Kearney, NE | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 6,017 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #574 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | unk.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UNK | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $6,450 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $12,418 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,936 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,249 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,779 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 86% | 81% |
Admission |
UNK | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,253 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 6,222 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 85.8% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.6% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.24 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 18/25 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1150 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 15, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
UNK | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UNK | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 61% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $43,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 71% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,250 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $205 |
Diversity |
UNK | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 22% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 79% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
UNK | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 86% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 0% | ||
Campus |
UNK | 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 Merced is larger than than UNK based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 6,017 students)
UNK vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UNK or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 83.5% more expensive to attend than UNK for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $6,450.00)
- Out of state tuition is 243.1% higher at UC Merced than University of Nebraska at Kearney ($42,611.00 vs. $12,418.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than UNK ($13,232 vs. $16,249)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nebraska at Kearney are 70% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($11,936 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska at Kearney than University of California Merced (86% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 183.3% larger than aid received University of Nebraska at Kearney ($24,868 vs. $8,779)
UNK vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UNK or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or UNK .
- The average SAT score at University of Nebraska at Kearney (1049) is 24 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming UNK students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at UNK (3.24)
- UNK has a higher acceptance rate (85.8%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
UNK vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UNK 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 UNK.
- The graduation rate at UNK is higher than University of California Merced (61% vs. 58%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $1,351 lower median federal student loan debt than UNK graduates. ($19,899 vs. $21,250)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than UNK graduates. ($205 vs. $219)
- More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/