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UCSD San Diego State Loyola Marymount UC Riverside Chapman UCSC Pepperdine SCU USF CSU UC Davis San Jose State| University of San Diego | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
USD | UC Merced | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 9,110 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #542 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sandiego.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USD | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $55,690 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $55,690 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,084 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $37,675 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $37,444 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 84% | 81% |
Admission |
USD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,953 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 7,458 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 46.7% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.7% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.95 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | High | ||
| ACT Range | 19/24 | |||
| SAT Range | 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 | Dec 15, 2025 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
USD | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USD | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $70,200 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,904 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $236 | $205 |
Diversity |
USD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 22% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 53% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 19% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
USD | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 0% | ||
Campus |
USD | 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 USD based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 9,110 students)
USD vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USD or UC Merced?
- University of San Diego is 370.6% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($55,690.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 30.7% higher at USD than University of California Merced ($55,690.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than USD ($13,232 vs. $37,675)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 12.2% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($18,084 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Diego than University of California Merced (84% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 50.6% larger than aid received University of California Merced ($37,444 vs. $24,868)
USD vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USD or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or USD .
- The average SAT score at University of San Diego (1236) is 211 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming USD students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
- USD has a higher acceptance rate (46.7%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
USD vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USD 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 USD.
- The graduation rate at USD is higher than University of California Merced (75% vs. 58%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $3,005 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($19,899 vs. $22,904)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($205 vs. $236)
- More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/