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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 ECSU| Western Connecticut State University | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
WestConn | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Danbury, CT | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 4,137 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #506 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wcsu.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WestConn | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $6,664 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,996 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,131 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,527 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $7,943 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 63% | 81% |
Admission |
WestConn | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,457 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 4,440 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81.4% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.38 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 20/27 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 840/1150 | 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, 2025 |
Academics |
WestConn | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WestConn | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 40% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $205 |
Diversity |
WestConn | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 61% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 18% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 4% | ||
| % International | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
WestConn | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 71% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 0% | ||
Campus |
WestConn | 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 WestConn based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 4,137 students)
WestConn vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WestConn or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 77.6% more expensive to attend than WestConn for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $6,664.00)
- Out of state tuition is 326.3% higher at UC Merced than Western Connecticut State University ($42,611.00 vs. $9,996.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than WestConn ($13,232 vs. $16,527)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Connecticut State University are 34.1% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($15,131 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Western Connecticut State University (81% vs. 63%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 213.1% larger than aid received Western Connecticut State University ($24,868 vs. $7,943)
WestConn vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WestConn or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or WestConn .
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at WestConn (3.38)
- WestConn has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
WestConn vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WestConn 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 WestConn.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Western Connecticut State University (58% vs. 40%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,101 lower median federal student loan debt than WestConn graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,000)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than WestConn graduates. ($205 vs. $258)
- More WestConn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/