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UC Riverside UCSC University of Nevada-Reno 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| University of Nevada Las Vegas | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UNLV | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Las Vegas, NV | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 31,094 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #652 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | unlv.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UNLV | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,354 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,310 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,072 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,388 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $7,580 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 90% | 81% |
Admission |
UNLV | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 12,232 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 11,774 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.3% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 38.9% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 980/1230 | 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 | Jun 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
UNLV | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UNLV | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 40% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 52% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,018 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $196 | $205 |
Diversity |
UNLV | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 35% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 26% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 9% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
UNLV | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 0% | ||
Campus |
UNLV | 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 Nevada Las Vegas is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (31,094 students vs. 9,147 students)
UNLV vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UNLV or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 41.7% more expensive to attend than UNLV for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $8,354.00)
- Out of state tuition is 68.4% higher at UC Merced than University of Nevada Las Vegas ($42,611.00 vs. $25,310.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nevada Las Vegas than UC Merced ($11,388 vs. $13,232)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nevada Las Vegas are 68.1% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($12,072 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nevada Las Vegas than University of California Merced (90% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 228.1% larger than aid received University of Nevada Las Vegas ($24,868 vs. $7,580)
UNLV vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UNLV or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or UNLV .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 18 points higher than at UNLV (1007)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at UNLV (22)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at UNLV (3.4)
- UNLV has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
UNLV vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UNLV 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 UNLV.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than University of Nevada Las Vegas (58% vs. 40%)
- University of Nevada Las Vegas students graduate with a $881 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($19,018 vs. $19,899)
- UNLV graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($196 vs. $205)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNLV students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 52%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/