University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. UC Merced

Should I go to University of South Carolina Upstate or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of South Carolina-Upstate or UC Merced is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of South Carolina Upstate vs. University of California Merced comparison
University of South Carolina Upstate University of California Merced College 3 College 4
University of California Merced
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Overview

University of South Carolina-Upstate UC Merced
Location Spartanburg, SC Merced, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,913 9,103
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #823 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uscupstate.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of South Carolina-Upstate UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $11,208 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $22,170 $41,636
Room & Board $9,520 $19,340
Avg Net Price $13,835 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $12,038 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 83%

Admission

University of South Carolina-Upstate UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,090 29,920
Admitted 2,428 26,766
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 89.5%
Enrolled % 28.3% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.53 3.55
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 19/24
SAT Range 950/1150 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 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

University of South Carolina-Upstate UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

University of South Carolina-Upstate UC Merced
Graduation Rate 39% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $232 $205

Diversity

University of South Carolina-Upstate UC Merced
% Men 32% 51%
% Women 68% 49%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 13%
% Black 29% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

University of South Carolina-Upstate UC Merced
% In-State 92% 99%
% Out-of-State 6% 0%

Campus

University of South Carolina-Upstate 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 University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 4,913 students)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of South Carolina-Upstate or UC Merced?

  • University of California Merced is 3.2% more expensive to attend than University of South Carolina-Upstate for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $11,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 87.8% higher at UC Merced than University of South Carolina Upstate ($41,636.00 vs. $22,170.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than University of South Carolina-Upstate ($13,549 vs. $13,835)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 103.2% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($9,520 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than University of California Merced (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 114.9% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Upstate ($25,868 vs. $12,038)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of South Carolina-Upstate or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or University of South Carolina-Upstate .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 75 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming UC Merced students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 1.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of South Carolina-Upstate 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 University of South Carolina-Upstate.

  • The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (58% vs. 39%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $2,601 lower median federal student loan debt than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates. ($19,899 vs. $22,500)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates. ($205 vs. $232)
  • More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of South Carolina-Upstate students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 55%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/