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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State GS Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State KSU| Valdosta State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
VSU | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Valdosta, GA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 10,209 | 9,103 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #982 | #605 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | valdosta.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
VSU | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,371 | $11,564 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $15,426 | $41,636 | ||
| Room & Board | $8,922 | $19,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,836 | $13,549 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,875 | $25,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 83% |
Admission |
VSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 4,975 | 29,920 | ||
| Admitted | 4,451 | 26,766 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.5% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 25.3% | 8.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.23 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/21 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 950/1130 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Required to be considered for admission | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jun 15, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
VSU | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
VSU | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 43% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,300 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 41% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $205 |
Diversity |
VSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 31% | 51% | ||
| % Women | 69% | 49% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 51% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 36% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
VSU | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 69% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 30% | 0% | ||
Campus |
VSU | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Valdosta State University is larger than than UC Merced based on total student enrollment (10,209 students vs. 9,103 students)
VSU vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, VSU or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 164.6% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $4,371.00)
- Out of state tuition is 169.9% higher at UC Merced than Valdosta State University ($41,636.00 vs. $15,426.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Valdosta State University than UC Merced ($12,836 vs. $13,549)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Valdosta State University are 116.8% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($8,922 vs. $19,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Valdosta State University than University of California Merced (99% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 162% larger than aid received Valdosta State University ($25,868 vs. $9,875)
VSU vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, VSU or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or VSU .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 32 points higher than at VSU (993)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at VSU (21)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at VSU (3.23)
- VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than UC Merced (89.5%)
VSU vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, VSU 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 VSU.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Valdosta State University (58% vs. 43%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,101 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,000)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($205 vs. $258)
- More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 41%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/